


The Many Names of Peace

by kj_feybarn



Series: Slices of Happiness [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Because I can, Eventual Obi-Wan Kenobi/Cody/Rex, I stan these two Jedi, I'm playing around with this story, It's kind of slow burn?, Just the way he deserved to die, LOTS of implied relationships, Lots and lots of little drabbles, Mace Windu is a good friend, Mostly Fluff, Obi-Wan doesn't know what to do with peace, Obi-Wan is a little bit of a mess, Palpatine dies immediately, So do the Clones, So is Plo Koon, The Clones deserve all the good things, The Jedi deserve good things, a little bit of angst?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-21
Updated: 2020-07-01
Packaged: 2020-09-23 05:04:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 23,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20334541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kj_feybarn/pseuds/kj_feybarn
Summary: The war is over. The Chancellor a necessary sacrifice for a Galaxy at Peace.Now all Obi-Wan has to do is find that peace he's spent the past three years fighting for.Small moments on the path towards healing, towards peace.





	1. The Sacrifice that Ends the War

**Author's Note:**

> At first this was just a really, really long one shot. And then I realized that the way it was set up wasn't actually all that much like a one-shot, and was instead a lot of small drabbles (some much smaller than others).
> 
> And with the rate I was going, I was just going to keep adding to the one-shot and then it would never get posted.
> 
> So instead you get lots of little snippets and drabbles, and eventually it will turn into something that's close to finished. Maybe?

"Was it not the Chancellor himself who spoke of the necessities of sacrifice to win this war?" One Senator asked, their voice raised above the angry yells that echoed through the Senate Rotunda.

Not everyone remembered what happened on Gyndine, but her Senator would never forget. An entire city destroyed to stop the Separatists, the Chancellor with his head bowed in a grief that the Senator had known the Chancellor did not feel, speaking of sacrifices and necessity.

"Perhaps we must consider that his sacrifice has now become a necessity."

The words were not enough to sway the entirety of the Senate, but soon other voices joined, fear swaying more and more. What was one life when balanced against the rest of the Republic?

The Chancellor had been captured by General Grievous, held captive by the Cyborg and the Count that held the Cyborg's leash. 

The Chancellor trusted that he would be saved. It was just one more step in a far grander plan.

The Senate was tired, tired of war, tired of fighting, tired of fear.

The Senate rose together in a moment of unexpected solidarity and ordered the ship holding their Chancellor and the two remaining leaders of the CIS army destroyed.

And with the Chancellor's sacrifice, the war slowly ground to a halt.


	2. No Ties to Bind Him

The war had been over for two months when Obi-Wan walked away. Negotiations with the CIS were still underway, led by Chancellor Mothma, and they were long and exhaustive.

The Jedi were not involved, too dangerous, the CIS had declared and the Senate had agreed, more than eager to strip whatever powers they could from the Jedi, as though the Jedi had any power to start with.

The men that composed the army of the Republic had finally been granted the rights they had long deserved, and many planets had opened their doors to them. Obi-Wan had said careful, tentative goodbyes with the men that had become his dearest companions. His Commander had shaken his head. "I'll be back. Once my brothers are settled, I'll be back."

Obi-Wan knew he wasn't the only one to have received such promises. During a night of drinking and paperwork Plo and Mace had both admitted they'd received similar promises from Commanders who loved and trusted their Generals, in all things except their Generals' abilities to protect themselves.

Obi-Wan knew he wasn't the only one who wished he could have followed his men, the way his men had always followed him. A quiet secret shared in that same night of confessions and grief.

Relief efforts had been started, and here the Jedi acted, even when the Senate made noise about barring them. Sending members of the Corps, healers, knights. Obi-Wan had wanted to go to, but members of the Council were kept away, kept in the heart of Coruscant where they could be watched by the Senate and the Press.

The Jedi were under the heavy eye of a critical public, made only worse by the well-meant attempts of Senator Amidala, whose gratitude and trust had been twisted among the Senate and public as biased attempts to shield her secret husband.

A secret that, at war's end, had finally been revealed along with the Senator's heavy pregnancy.

The Jedi had not had to decide on what action to take when it came to Anakin, because Anakin had made his choice quickly and easily. Leaving the Order with scathing comments about the terrible apathy of the Jedi, of the rottenness he refused to remain a part of.

Obi-Wan had not been surprised by the comments, though he'd still been hurt by them. He had not spoken to Anakin since, though that had been not for his own lack of desire or effort. But Anakin had been determined in his decision, and Obi-Wan had chosen to respect that choice. Ahsoka had made her way back to Coruscant, Obi-Wan knew, but Anakin's former Padawan followed her former Master's example and rejected any attempt to reach out to her.

Obi-Wan and Plo understood her decision, understood their failure, and grieved together.

The Jedi were not without allies though, Bail Organa still spoke fervently in their defense, and there were others, Senators like Senator Chuchi who had been saved by Jedi and Clones during the war, who joined their voices to his.

And so, two months in, when Obi-Wan could no longer stifle the itch in his blood he turned to his two friends. "I'm sorry." He said as he handed Mace his lightsaber. "But I can't stay here."

Plo nodded, the grief hidden behind his breathing mask. "I understand."

And Obi-Wan knew he did, knew they both did. But where Plo and Mace had former Masters and former Padawans, lineages and ties that through the Force's mercy remained unbroken, Obi-Wan had only those who'd died and those who'd renounced him. And in the case of his Master and Grandmaster, it was both.

"This is not a resignation." Mace informed him, voice soft with understanding, gentle with Obi-Wan around all his broken pieces. "This is the opportunity to rest you should have had long ago. A meditative retreat."

Obi-Wan hesitated, but then nodded. "Then I entrust my saber to you until the time that I have found peace again."

"Your saber and your place with us will wait for you." Plo told him.

Together they shared a final night of drinking and reminiscing, of time before the war, of time within the war.

Obi-Wan knew he wasn't the only one who had been forever changed by the war, knew he wasn't the only one who woke after only a few hours of sleep expecting comm calls with new orders or the sound of blasters and bombshells, who found sleep difficult when not accompanied by the quiet hum of the hyperdrive from a ship in space.

He was sure he wasn't even the only one to stand, no lineage either before or after him, no brother- or sister-padawans to stand beside him. Except he didn't know who else was standing an isolated island among their order and he couldn't turn to them for aid.

He was not the only one who was grieving, who, now that there was space to breathe, couldn't stop himself from going over past battle plans, trying to see where he had gone wrong, to find how he could have saved more of his men, how he could have helped end the war more quickly.

He was sure he was not the only one drowning in his grief, not the only one who couldn't seem to find peace. But as much as he tried to help others find peace, he couldn't seem to find any himself.

So, with the steady reassurance of his fellow councilors and friends, he walked away.


	3. Somewhere Not Here

Dex received him as Dex always had, with wide arms extended for a crushing hug, and a hearty meal set before him. "I need to leave Coruscant." Obi-Wan told him, as he did his best to eat the food Dex offered him when his appetite, lost in the early months of the war, had yet to return to him.

If Dex was surprised by the declaration, he didn’t show it. “You have an actual destination in mind?”

Obi-Wan shrugged. "Somewhere not here."

"That doesn't sound like a mission." Dex commented, eyes knowing, but kind.

"It's not." Obi-Wan agreed.

"You leaving the Order?" Dex sounded skeptical. "I imagine your former Padawan would take you in."

Obi-Wan had considered it, for the briefest of moments, but he'd given Anakin all of his heart and Anakin had declared it not enough. "I am a Jedi." Obi-Wan said instead, even though he wasn't sure if that was still true. "I'm just looking for peace." He wasn't sure that was true either, but he thought it was what he wanted.

"Not sure you're going to find it anywhere I might be able to send you." Dex told him, but Dex didn't ask any more questions, and soon Obi-Wan had a place on a ship headed for Corellia as someone who didn't ask questions and was good with a blaster.

Obi-Wan was not invited to join the ship on their next run, was instead quickly ordered off into the crowded spaceport. He didn't mind. He didn't know where he was going, but he had no desire to go further with this lot, not after he'd heard them call the clones meat-droids. The sharpness of his reaction had lost him any chance of gaining their friendship. But the lack of friendship with sentients like them hardly seemed a loss to him.

He had few credits to his name, but he was in no hurry to lose what little he had, and so, where he could, he exchanged services. He could work as well as the next fellow and he continued to buy passage in whatever ways he could. A ship hand, another body with a blaster, a dish washer, a mechanic. No one recognized him, the lack of Jedi Robes and the Force's protection making him another face in the crowds. He moved from ship to ship, planet to planet, looking for nothing and finding nothing.


	4. The Grief of the Force

He tried to stick to ships that were more reputable, but sometimes he was so eager to keep moving that his choices were somewhat less than wise. 

One poor choice led to him turning his temporary crew in to planetary security when they finally landed, the records and supplies that marked them as slavers left for security to examine.

Only one slaver’s tool was missing from the report, and Obi-Wan stared at the Force Collar that he'd hidden away in a moment of foolish impulse.

He wondered what he’d be without the Force.

Would the grief be easier? Would he stop feeling the sharp lash of lives being cut short, as visceral and real in his dreams as it had been in reality?

It had never been pleasant, the few times it had been forced on him. But neither was his current reality.

Would it stop the itch that constantly forced him to keep moving?

It took him a week to destroy the wretched thing, paying a few credits to get access to an industrial-grade incinerator and watching it twist and melt in the fiery heat.

He knew he struggled with self-negligence, he’d been told as much by people whose judgment he trusted far more than his own and recognized that it was one of those things he probably couldn’t recognize in himself without spending time with a mind healer. 

But this, this would cross the line into self-destruction, and he wouldn’t do that. Not when he’d made it this far. He was broken enough without trying to break himself any further.

And so he kept going; the Force was his only constant, and even though he sometimes wanted to, he could not ignore it. 

He found his wandering path leading him to lost children who needed someone to help them find home.

He took a ship back the way he’d just come, and found the days spent giving comfort to a new widow; he rocked her baby—young and innocent, bright and beautiful in the Force—as the young woman slept for the first time since losing her husband, her grief muted in much-needed sleep.

His search for an evening meal delayed to stop a vicious attack against a young boy walking home alone. He was not the only one who had seen what was happening, but he was the only one to not look away. That, he knew, was one of the worst sins of the galaxy, and he wished he could say he had never looked away.

But he hadn’t looked away this time.

It was a life, as much as anything was.

What he was doing was good. Perhaps not in any of the grandiose ways he’d dreamed of, once upon a time when he’d been young and idealistic. Foolish.

He wanted it to be enough.

It was supposed to be.

Following the Force, doing good, helping those in need.

It was supposed to be enough.

But still, Obi-Wan felt unmoored.


	5. Drinks with a Not-a-Foe (Maybe-a-Friend)

He continued in the same pattern until the pattern was broken for him by a group of ragtag pirates who thought that the navigation ship where Obi-Wan was paying for his passage as a dish washer would be an easy target.

It was the first real piece of action Obi-Wan had seen since the end of the war. There were no other fighters on board, and Obi-Wan was far outnumbered by the pirates who were trying to take the ship. Obi-Wan had no backup, and the only weapons available were currently held by the pirates.

In the end, the pirates hadn’t stood a chance. They had always picked their targets carefully, and were unused to having to handle quarry that fought back. Unfortunately for them, Obi-Wan was more than capable of fighting back. He’d always done so, since he was a small child who thought injustice should be met with every ounce of passion he’d had in his small body, and the war had only increased his abilities.

Obi-Wan had thought, maybe even hoped, that the action would be enough to end the itch in his blood. 

It didn't.

The wide eyes—some frightened, some awed—of the passengers he’d saved only made it worse. And Obi-Wan wanted to hide away. He heard someone whisper, _General Kenobi_, and wondered what it would be like, to be a faceless Jedi again.

No one had ever whispered about Padawan Kenobi, or Knight Kenobi, or Master Kenobi. At least not outside the walls of the Temple.

He looked down at the pirates tied up for easy transport to the closest security force, and felt the Force shift around him, a quiet whisper that his time to wander with no direction was fleeting. The pirates at least, served as inspiration of sort—or perhaps the hit to the head one of the pirates had managed was addling his brain—and Obi-Wan let his feet lead him to a ship headed in the same direction as Florrum. 

There was no actual connection between the pirates he’d stopped and the pirates on Florrum.

Except he was lonely and tired, and Hondo existed, and his not-a-foe-not-a-friend acquaintance seemed as good idea as any.

There was no way for him to get to Florrum with his usual methods, but in the end it wasn't necessary, as soon as Obi-Wan got close to the planet that hosted the pirate’s base, Hondo found him.

"Ah, friend Kenobi!" Obi-Wan didn't push away the arm that wrapped around his shoulders. "I had heard you had disappeared, a meditative retreat, your Council told the Senate. Your former padawan has been very loud about his displeasure. Imagine my surprise when I hear you are here!” Hondo’s eyes narrowed behind his goggles. “Not causing trouble, I hope."

"No trouble." Obi-Wan said, leaving the rest of Hondo's statement for later thought—if he ever had the energy for it. "Though I wouldn't say no to a drink."

Hondo laughed delightedly, his glee spreading through the Force, manic and free. "A drink! You have come to the right place."

Obi-Wan felt his lip twitch into something almost a smile. “Though, I'd very much appreciate it if you could refrain from drugging this one."

Hondo placed one hand on his chest, shifting his face into one of deepest offense. ”Of course, of course! I would never drug you, my friend!"

Obi-Wan raised his eyebrow in the condescending way he’d learned from watching Master Sinube tell off the Masters who dared to treat Master Nu's archives with anything less than the proper respect. Hondo just laughed again.

Obi-Wan was only a little surprised when Hondo kept to his word, it would have been highly inconvenient to be ransomed back to the Jedi, or else throughly embarrassing to need a rescue. Mace would have never let him live it down, and Obi-Wan would have been forced to sacrifice one of his own tidbits of blackmail to ensure it was never mentioned again. It was for the best that that not happen.

Although, he mused to himself, the alcohol was strong enough that a drug might have been overkill.

"Where are you running to, my friend?" Hondo asked as Obi-Wan sipped at the alcohol that would probably be put to safer as stripping detergent for a star cruiser.

"I don't know." Obi-Wan answered honestly. It felt these days, as though he'd left his words behind on Coruscant, right alongside his lightsaber. There was probably something ironically amusing about that, the Negotiator with no words, the General with no weapon.

"Perhaps you are not running to, but from?" Hondo had always been keen, far more than most people were willing to acknowledge.

Obi-Wan just smiled and shrugged. "I don't know." He looked around at the chaos of Hondo's base, pirates drinking and gambling, some of them were even singing raucously. “I suppose I’m just running.” 

"We take many runners, here." Hondo offered, and Obi-Wan thought it was even mostly genuine, and not just because a Force sensitive pirate would be useful to Hondo.

Obi-Wan let himself consider it, in that abstract way he sometimes considered lives he’d never live. He couldn't imagine piracy as something he would enjoy, but he felt unmoored, and the offer of belonging—far more than the offer of piracy—was a tempting one.

"No." Obi-Wan said. "Though I appreciate the drink."

Hondo laughed and proved himself an excellent host by providing another.

Hondo bid him farewell the next day, or perhaps there had been another day in between. Time had started getting a little wonky on him a few drinks in. There had been quite a festive party, and Obi-Wan had had to turn down far more propositions than normal.

Still, at some point the moment ended, and Hondo dropped him off on the nearest planet with a cheerful goodbye and an open offer of a place in his organization if Obi-Wan ever decided to turn to piracy. Obi-Wan waved goodbye as good-naturedly as he was able—he was incredibly hungover, with a headache that matched some of the worst that Anakin had ever caused him, and was missing most of his credits supposedly in payment for the transportation.

But the offer made him think. And think he did, as he took the next ship that offered transport in exchange for strong shoulders to move cargo.

He wanted to belong again, but that meant either starting over or going back, and there had been no peace for him back on Coruscant.

But then, he had been wandering for almost three months now, and the wandering had done nothing to bring him peace either.

Not for the first time, he wondered if he was incapable of peace now. If that was his punishment for having been talented in the art of war and destruction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, a note. If you look at the tags it mentions that this will get fluffy. I know you haven't seen this yet. Because apparently I needed to get some angst out first. But I assure you. It's going to happen. Like, a lot of fluff, like ridiculous amounts of fluff. 
> 
> Just so you know. That's going to be a thing. 
> 
> Not only will there be ridiculous amounts of fluff, some of the fluff will also be ridiculous. Because Palpatine is dead, and the Jedi and clones deserve a good life. 
> 
> Which may or may not include Mace, Plo, Depa, and Obi-Wan using all of their war-time experience in strategy, and the help of Cody, Rex, Wolffe, Ponds, and Grey, to figure out how to stop Yoda from making a single pot more of Snake Stew. Some things just cannot be left to stand, and Yoda's Snake Stew is one of those things.


	6. What Was Missed Was Found—Or Rather Did the Finding

He wasn't sure why he was so surprised when he was found, but surprised he was. He supposed it had just never occurred to him that anyone might be looking for him. The Council knew where he was, Anakin—despite what Hondo had implied—wouldn’t care to find him.

"General." The voice and presence was achingly familiar to Obi-Wan. 

"Commander." He looked up from the drink he'd been slowly slipping, and stared at the man who'd found him, the only armor visible the vambraces on his forearms. He’d never doubted Cody cared, but he had brothers who needed him, and Cody was supposed to be back on Alderaan finding peace now that the war was over. ”I’m no longer your General. You can call me Obi-Wan.“

"You are my General." Cody told him, and Obi-Wan wasn't sure what he thought of that declaration, but he didn't deny it again, the title had no authority now, no more than Cody’s. "War or no war.” Cody let the silence hang for a half-second longer, before taking a step closer. “Obi-Wan.” Cody smiled, teasing and kind, but there was also a promise, to find some sort of balance between them—or maybe Obi-Wan was just hearing what he wanted to hear.

He smiled back, helpless to do otherwise with Cody in front of him. “Cody.”

Cody gestured to the empty seat beside Obi-Wan, asking for permission and Obi-Wan gave it easily. Obi-Wan noted that the heavy lines that had been around his Commander's eyes had faded, the exhaustion of battle after battle no longer wearing Cody into the ground, the grief of losing brother after brother no longer weighing a heavy responsibility on his Commander's shoulders. 

Peace seemed to suit Cody.

"How did you find me?" He asked as his Commander settled easily into the seat next to him.

"Ohnaka."

Obi-Wan frowned, not sure what to make of that. "Why were you asking Hondo?" Obi-Wan hadn’t even known he was going to pay the pirate a visit.

Cody shook his head, reaching over and grabbing Obi-Wan's drink to take a sip of it. “I didn’t actually. He reached out to me." He made a face, looking down at the drink with a hint of distaste. “This is worse than the stuff Snipe makes.”

Obi-Wan felt the guilt immediately. Not for the drink, because that was Cody’s own fault for trusting anything from this particular bar. Though, Cody’s assertion that this was worse than Snipe’s ship-brewed alcohol was patently untrue. Snipe’s ship-brewed alcohol held the record within the entire GAR for sending the most men to the medbay. Kix and Sawbones had been furious.

“I’m sorry." And he was, as happy as he was to see Cody, he couldn't stand the thought of Cody being forced to chase after him due to some ridiculous ideas propagated by the Kaminoans of obligation to him.

Cody tilted his head, eyes narrowed in thought the same way they'd been when they'd look at battle schematics during planning sessions, assessing all of the variables and making a plan of attack. 

"You have no reason to be sorry."

But he did, so many reasons. "I'm not sure what Hondo told you." And Obi-Wan wasn't fool enough to think that Hondo hadn't seen more than Obi-Wan wanted anyone to see. Though certainly not as much as Cody, who seemed to know and understand him better than most everyone, could see now. "But if it pulled you away from your brothers, from Alderaan—“

"I was never going to stay on Alderaan. I told you that before I even left.“ Cody interrupted, voice quiet but sure. "I'd left Alderaan before Hondo ever said a word. I was waiting on Coruscant." Waiting, the words went unsaid, for Obi-Wan to return. “Once Hondo reached out claiming he was owed more payment, General Koon suggested that our presence would not be unwelcome." Cody reached into a pocket on his belt and pulled out the commlink that Obi-Wan had left behind in rooms he didn't know how to make home.

Obi-Wan looked down at the commlink and the steady blink of green light that meant he had unlooked-at messages. "You don't owe me anything." Obi-Wan said carefully. Because it was true, and Cody hadn't heard it enough. "Not your loyalty, not your presence, not your time, or your life, or—“

"I know." Cody's voice was calm, assured. Obi-Wan searched his Commander's eyes desperately and saw the truth of the statement. "You've always done your best to make sure I always knew."

"You and your brothers have always been dear to me." Obi-Wan said for lack of a better way to explain how much he wanted Cody and his brothers to live the lives they deserved. And they deserved so much.

"Then I hope you won't mind that the majority of Ghost Company and a few others are in a ship waiting for me to convince you to join us."

Obi-Wan stared at his Commander, trying to wrap his mind around what Cody had said. "Why?"

Cody just shrugged. "Some of us weren't meant to settle easily. Alderaan wasn’t for us.“ Cody's eyes were on him. "But you know, you don't owe us anything either."

Cody was wrong, of course—rare as the occurrence was. Obi-Wan owed his men everything. The entire Republic did, but Obi-Wan more than most. Still. “Why are you here?” He asked. If it was simply the case of the men not wanting, or being able, to settle, why were they here, why did they come for him?

Cody’s smile was a little sad. “Is it so hard to believe that we might have wanted you with us? The way you’ve been the past three years?”

It was, it was nearly impossible to believe. 

Especially, because he so desperately wanted it to be true. He wanted to belong, yes. But here, with these men, who deserved so much better than life had ever given them, the men he had fought with, and laughed with, and worked with, and very nearly died with, he had missed them. He wanted to belong among them.

It was more than that, though. War had forged the bindings that linked Obi-Wan's soul to those of his men, and they were bindings of kyber.

“I have missed you and the men.” He said, because it was true, and he hardly thought anyone would condemn him for saying it. Certainly no one whose opinion he cared about. All those ridiculous misunderstandings about what attachment was could throw themselves out the window.

“Then you’ll come?” Cody asked, and there was an uncertain look in his Commander’s eyes.

And really, what other answer was there. "I’d be honored."

He meant it fully.

So he left his drink—it really had been genuinely awful—and followed his Commander.

"Where are we going?" Obi-Wan asked.

"General Windu suggested we could pick up some supplies from Bandomeer, take some extra time acting as supply transport for the Agricorps."

It was more direction than Obi-Wan had had as of late, minus his brief inspiration to go to Florrum. “Ah, to be useful again.”

Cody’s lip twitched in amusement. “I’m honestly surprised you lasted three months.”

Obi-Wan considered that briefly. “That’s fair.” 

He’d been adrift with neither purpose or belonging. And, if he were strictly honest with himself, he hadn’t been doing particularly well.

He wondered, sometimes, if he would have been better off never leaving Coruscant and the Jedi at all. He’d had both purpose and belonging there.

Except he remembered that he’d needed space too.

But perhaps he’d had enough space, he thought, as Cody’s elbow brushed against his own. He followed Cody through the city they were in, the space between them quiet and peaceful as they reached the outskirts.

Obi-Wan tilted his head at the sight of one of the transport shuttles they’d used during the war. It wasn’t the Negotiator, but the sight of it, and the knowledge of who it currently held, warmed him. The Force seemed to sigh and whisper around him, soft and soothing.

Maybe, just maybe, he could be done wandering.


	7. Conversation Starters

"General Skywalker's been looking for you.“ Rex told him that first night as Obi-Wan paced the ship that had been given to the men, sleep elusive and distant while his thoughts ran in circles through his head.

That, at least, wasn’t a new problem, sleep had been an elusive mistress for as long as Obi-Wan could remember, long before the war had added to the nightmares that plagued him. Sometimes his mind just had to run its course before anything as simple or necessary as sleep could have its turn.

Obi-Wan looked at the Captain, not sure what to say to that rather abrupt conversation starter. 

He had not expected to see Rex on the ship, he’d thought Rex would be on Naboo with the 501st, or if not on Naboo, Rex would be on Coruscant with Anakin and Ahsoka. Still, while he hadn’t expected to see Rex, he wasn’t throughly surprised either. Rex, he suspected, was here because Cody was. There was no war to pull them from each other’s sides now.

“I can't imagine why." He finally answered. 

His former padawan's Captain just stared at him as though trying to decipher some hidden meaning in his words. Obi-Wan didn't know how to tell him that there was no hidden meaning. Anakin had cut Obi-Wan off with an ease that had cut Obi-Wan deeply, and for all that Anakin could not seem to let go of the past, his former padawan was not the type to regret either. Or rather, he wasn’t the type to regret the pain he caused Obi-Wan. He never had before, after all.

"He has two kids now. Twins. A boy and a girl.” Rex said, and there seemed to be a wealth of accusation in the statement.

Obi-Wan took in the words, turning them over in his mind as he tried to picture what the children of Anakin and Padme might look like, what they might feel like in the Force. He'd known, of course, of Padme's pregnancy, had even been aware, in some far away space, that Padme had to have been close to her delivery date when Obi-Wan had handed his lightsaber to Mace for safekeeping and left. But there had been a great deal more on his mind, and while it probably should have, it had not really figured in his thoughts a great deal. 

"I'm happy for them." There was something relieving about feeling the truth of the words as he said them. He did not need to be a part of Anakin's life to be happy that Anakin had found what he had always wanted.

"General Skywalker wanted you to meet the twins.“ There was accusation again, and maybe a little bit of confusion, as though Rex couldn’t contemplate why Obi-Wan was not already there on Coruscant at his brother’s side.

Obi-Wan frowned and then gave Rex the same answer as earlier, still as honest now as it had been earlier. "I can't imagine why." Anakin thought Obi-Wan a poison and a collar, a blank-faced judge meant to condemn his every wrong. Anakin had considered Obi-Wan the dead weight holding him back, and hadn't been happy until Obi-Wan had been cut away. Why then, would he want Obi-Wan anywhere near the perfect life he’d created for himself? Why would he want Obi-Wan around his two beloved—because how could they be anything else—children?

Captain Rex looked disappointed and Obi-Wan wished he could explain that not all brothers loved each other. Wished he could explain that Obi-Wan knew what it was to desperately love family that simply couldn't love him back; he was well aware that that was his role in Anakin’s life.

He went back to walking the halls of the ship and Captain Rex let him.

"He won't tell General Skywalker where we are." Cody told him later that night when his Commander found him standing at the viewport watching the stars streak by.

Obi-Wan looked away from the depths of space to look at Cody, and he wondered if Cody would understand what Rex hadn't. "I'm not sure what difference it makes." Anakin was better without him around. Just because it had taken Obi-Wan this long to truly understand that, didn’t make it any less true.

Cody met his eyes easily. "You've never walked away before. General Skywalker never realized you might."

Obi-Wan frowned. "Plo and Mace know I'll come back." It wasn’t like he’d walked away for forever, he’d needed a little time, a little space. And Anakin had made it clear where he stood.

The blistering words he’d spat that last day in the Temple when he’d handed over his lightsaber and renounced his place. The words aimed at the Temple and the Order had hurt, though Obi-Wan tried to understand Anakin’s position.

But Anakin had also chosen to make it personal, and Obi-Wan was ashamed to admit that he was tired, too tired to heal his heart from words that were too entirely true.

Still, whatever Anakin’s reasons for apparently wanting to see Obi-Wan, despite Anakin not being a Jedi anymore, if he’d been at the Temple looking for him the way Rex had made it sound like he’d been, then he would have been told that Obi-Wan was coming back.

Force, even Hondo had known, because the Senate had demanded an answer to where the missing Councilor and High General—former High General—was, and the news had leaked from there.

"General Skywalker's always preferred his own timetable." Cody answered; there was a hint of disapproval in Cody’s voice that Obi-Wan was a little surprised, and guiltily relieved, to realize wasn’t directed at him. Facing the Captain’s disappointment had been hard enough, to add his own Commander’s to the mix would have hurt more than Obi-Wan was prepared to deal with. “That doesn’t mean you have to accommodate him.” Obi-Wan couldn’t quite disagree, though some part of him rebelled at the thought of not accommodating Anakin as much as he was able.

“Yes, well, he’s young. Impatient.”

Cody looked incredibly unimpressed, which was perhaps more than fair. Cody certainly had more patience than Anakin did, and when considering years alive, was far younger than Anakin. Obi-Wan was actually fairly certain that Cody had once despaired, during a night of tackling the mountain of data pads and reports that had been omnipresent, that the shiniest of shinies had more patience than Anakin. 

“Do you want me to explain to Rex?” Cody asked, voice careful.

Obi-Wan tried to ignore the pang of regret at having so quickly lost the Captain’s esteem. Rex was right in many ways. He shook his head. “That’s not necessary.” He smiled, a little weakly. “I’m sure you have far more entertaining things to converse about.” He added, hoping to shift the conversation.

“I don’t know.” Cody’s voice was suspiciously neutral. “We’ve missed being able to complain about the different messes you and General Skywalker always seemed to be engaged in.” The smallest hint of humor entered the Force, and Cody’s eyes were laughing at him.

Obi-Wan hummed thoughtfully. “That’s a shame.” He tilted his head to the side, the corner of his lip twitching in amusement. “I’m sure if you give me a little time, I’ll stumble into some sort of mess. I wouldn’t want you to miss out on being able to despair over my continued existence.”

“So long as you continue to exist, I’m quite sure I’ll have plenty to complain about.” Cody’s smile went soft. “Not, of course, that I’d have it any other way.” Cody waited a beat. “But, for all that’s good, General. Please don’t just saunter into Florrum for a visit because you’ve managed to get bored. I don’t want to have to stage a hostage retrieval if Hondo decides to be a little less friendly next time.”

“I didn’t go to Florrum because I was bored.” Obi-Wan defended immediately, and it was true. Well, mostly true. Boredom certainly hadn’t been his motivating factor, that had just been an unfortunate side-effect of his lack of direction and purpose.

Cody hummed, sounding unconvinced. “I’m quite sure.” Cody settled a hand on Obi-Wan’s shoulder, squeezing gently before he let go and stepped back. “You should try to get some actual sleep.”

Obi-Wan nodded, though with thoughts of Anakin still twisting through his mind, he wasn’t sure it would be happening tonight. “You should do the same, Commander.”


	8. What We're Worth

They made it to Bandomeer within a week, and Obi-Wan wasn’t sure if he was grateful or not that there was a little more preparation to be done before he and the men could take the supplies.

With the few hours available to them, the men had paired off and scattered, eager to see the planet. Obi-Wan stood on the landing pad after most of the men had departed. 

Bandomeer was greener than it had once been. This was not actually a surprise. Bandomeer after all had become one of the bases for the Agricorps over 20 years ago, and the Agricorps had always been good at what they did. 

Bandomeer now had the capability to provide for far more than the people on the planet.

That wasn’t to say that everything was green. The mines, after all, still existed and were still reasonably profitable.

A sudden, fierce determination hit him and he found himself moving quickly to where a few speeders had been provided for them. He had only just reached one of the three remaining speeders when Rex and Cody came out of the ship, closing and locking it behind him.

Cody sent a quick signal asking for him to wait, and Obi-Wan nodded, using the time to check the nav computer in the speeder to make sure that his chosen destination was viable. It had, after all, been over 20 years.

“Do you mind if we join you into town?” Cody asked, as he and Rex closed the distance.

Obi-Wan blinked, then hesitated. “I’m not headed into town, I’m afraid. Though I could give you a lift there, regardless.”

Cody raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Off to see some of the Jedi in the Agricorps?” 

It was a good idea, actually, and Obi-Wan really ought to do that before he left. Perhaps see if Si Treemba was still here, though the last he’d heard from his old friend, they were now with the outbound Agricorps, and it was unlikely Obi-Wan would be so lucky as to catch them. “I may do that later.”

Rex tilted his head, eyes narrowing, Cody furrowed his brow. “Everything alright, sir? No danger?”

Obi-Wan thought of his destination in the mines, and felt an old fear catch at his throat. Cody must have seen something in his eyes, because his hand had fallen to his blaster and his posture shifted from alert to actively prepared.

Obi-Wan winced. The war may have been over for a few months, but that didn’t mean that the men were done looking for threats they needed to defend themselves against. There was a high chance that they never would lose that. “No, no. There’s no problem.”

Rex stepped forward. “If I might ask, where are you headed?”

“I want to visit a particular mine.”

Cody and Rex exchanged glances, a wealth of meaning being in exchanged in a few short seconds. “Permission to join?”

Obi-Wan hesitated. “I don’t believe you’ll find it all that fascinating, I do believe it’s mostly out of commission.”

Rex’s tone was drier than Tatooine. “And here I thought those were the best kinds of mines.” His voice went kind. “You can say no, General.”

Obi-Wan looked away, he felt the need to go but he didn’t want to go alone. But nor did he want to derail the Commander’s and Captain’s own plans. “I would not say no to your presence.” He said finally. “But nor do I wish to ruin any of your plans.”

Cody shrugged, sliding into the speeder gracefully. “Had no real plans. Mostly just intended to make sure the men didn’t get into trouble.”

Rex swung into the speeder, movements as smooth as his brother’s had been. “Sass has been on rare form the past few weeks, but Boil and Trapper are more than capable of keeping him in line.”

Obi-Wan hesitated. “You’re quite sure?”

Cody just raised an eyebrow, settling into his seat. “Quite.”

Obi-Wan nodded. “I’ll be quick so that you can experience the town center.”

It didn’t take exceptionally long to reach the mine in question, and Obi-Wan was able to gain permission to enter with ease. Making his way to K-7.

He took the lift down, Core 7, Core 6, Core 5. In the Force Cody and Rex felt tentatively curious but they were silent behind him.

It was different then he remembered it.

That wasn’t actually a surprise. The area had been well mined over the years, and while it was still dark, as mines ofter were, it was no longer the ominous trap it had once been.

Still, he felt his steps falter as he reached a certain point, an old impression in the Force.

_Desperation. Fear._ Strong emotions, shatter point moments, both could leave their mark in the Force if someone was looking for them. And this moment had been both. _Determination._

He felt his breath catch in his throat, and when he closed his eyes he could almost feel the Force shift around him.

_It was dark and the fear was clawing at him, threatening to choke him. His heart was racing as his mind settled on his course of action. The collar was snug around his neck, no longer cold against his skin the way it’d been at first, but the knowledge of what he was about to do seemed to fill him with ice._

_It was the only way. Something had to be done or over half the planet would die. What was one person’s life against that? Especially when said life was that of a failed initiate who was too afraid and too angry and who everyone seemed to know was destined to Fall._

_He reached for the Force, the attempt a little clumsy, while he simultaneously reached for the button that would turn his collar back on. He didn’t want to be alone, here at the end, and the Force wrapped around him, soft and warm, warmer even than Bant’s hugs or Master Yoda’s approval. _

_It was not a bad way to die._

_“Stop. No!”_

“Obi-Wan. General.” There was someone just in front of him, hand soft on his arm. Their voice was steady, concerned, anchoring Obi-Wan back into place.

Obi-Wan blinked his eyes open, struggling for a moment to place where he was. “Cody?” His voice was hoarse.

Cody’s eyes were dark and worried. “Everything all right, General?”

Obi-Wan nodded, he could feel the impression in the Force fading. “Of course.” He worked a smile onto his face. “Of course.”

Cody hesitated, and then he gently rubbed a thumb along Obi-Wan’s cheek under his eyes. The gesture itself was surprising, only made more so by the feel of water being rubbed into his skin.

Tears.

“Obi-Wan?” His name was said carefully, a quiet request for honesty, but one that Cody would abandon if that was what Obi-Wan wanted.

Obi-Wan hesitated.

“I was standing here.” He said finally. “When Master Qui-Gon Jinn accepted me as his Padawan learner.” Cody frowned, but said nothing and Obi-Wan continued. “I was almost thirteen. I was young and angry and afraid.”

His eyes flitted from Cody’s concerned gaze to the wall where a secret elevator had once hidden and then to Rex who was standing close and listening, eyes darting from Cody and Obi-Wan to scan the tunnel alert for some hidden danger and back to him and Cody and Obi-Wan.

He wondered if Cody and Rex had felt the impression in the Force of his own determined terror, two decades old. “He’d rejected me. So many times. First at the temple, and then again and again on the trip here to Bandomeer where I was to join the Agricorps.” He knew now, that the Agricorps was not the punishment, the rejection, that Obi-Wan had been so certain it was. He also knew that the Jedi Knights and Masters had poorly prepared the children his age to understand that.

“But here, here was where I proved myself worthy of _the_ Qui-Gon Jinn.” The thought ached at him, another person who he’d loved but could not love him back. “It taught me a valuable lesson, and one that I would never have anyone else ever learn.”

It was quiet in the mine’s tunnel, Cody’s eyes searched his. “What was the lesson?”

Obi-Wan looked at Cody, and without his permission his hand came up and traced his Commander’s scar. “It was a lie.” He said quietly. “But one I believed for a long time.” Conceptually, abstractly, he knew it was a lie. Sometimes, on the darker days, it was hard to remember that this wasn’t the crystallized truth. (Sometimes, on the good days, it was hard to remember that too.) He looked away from Cody to look at Rex. “I hope you both know that it’s a lie.”

“Tell me.” Cody said, his voice just as quiet as Obi-Wan’s had been. “What’s the lie?”

“That my greatest value was in being willing to die.” He swallowed. “Of being the one who was expendable enough to die, if necessary.” He knew it wasn’t the lesson Qui-Gon had wanted to teach. A Jedi had to be willing to give his life, if necessary, but that was not where their value lay. Qui-Gon would have been horrified if he’d ever realized that was the lesson Obi-Wan had internalized, that night in the mine. At least Obi-Wan hoped Qui-Gon would be, he’d never know for sure, he supposed.

Cody’s intake of air was loud in the quiet of the mine, the only other sound that of Rex moving closer, his footsteps near silent on the hard ground. 

“How did you learn that lesson?” Rex’s voice was low, almost a growl.

Obi-Wan shrugged. “I thought it was the only way.” He swallowed hard, remembering that time. “Over half the planet was going to die.” It would have been worth it, he knew, if it had been his life for all of theirs. “It would have been the right choice.”

Cody’s face twisted, as though he wanted to reject the notion, but he understood the numbers. Had run them, over and over, the past three years.

It would have been the right choice, but it had still been the wrong lesson.

Obi-Wan hadn’t been any different, in those moments before he’d offered to die and those moments after.

He was still just as angry and afraid. Still just as determined to do whatever he had to to protect as many people as possible. He was still just as determined _not_ to Fall.

Qui-Gon had never meant for Obi-Wan to learn the lesson he had.

“You’re worth so much more—” Obi-Wan felt the words choke in his throat. “Than what they told you that you were worth. All of you were. All your brothers. You are worth so much more than being willing to die for a Republic that you owed nothing.”

Obi-Wan saw the same doubt in Cody’s eyes that he felt in his own heart about his own life. Could feel Rex’s uncertainty in the Force.

They wanted to believe they were worth more.

Obi-Wan wanted to believe it for himself.

They were worth more than just their willingness to die.

And maybe now that they had a chance to live they’d be able to see that. All of them.


	9. Joy and Sorrow

Obi-Wan let out a heavy breath as he shifted the box of supplies onto one of his shoulders, following after Sass as he carried the box into the ship to where they were storing the supplies.

Between all of them it wouldn’t take them long to get the supplies situated. But, it lasted long enough for Tonedeaf to decide to start singing as they worked. 

Obi-Wan found himself laughing as half of Ghost Company started begging Tonedeaf to keep his singing for when he was alone in the fresher, while the other half egged Tonedeaf on, shouting out song requests when each song finished.

He couldn't quite place what made him join in as Tonedeaf started up on a somewhat lewd song that he remembered the troopers being taught by the locals during one of their longer sieges on one of the many planets they’d been on, but Tonedeaf beamed at him, somehow managing to become even more enthusiastic in his off-key rendition of the song. Several of the men groaned that Tonedeaf would never stop now that the General had encouraged him, but a few others joined in, a mix of enthusiastic and amused.

It made for a loud, cheerful environment, and Obi-Wan could feel some of the heavy weight that had been weighing on him since he, Rex, and Cody had left the mine start to lighten into something less likely to suffocate him.

"I didn't know you could sing, General." Tonedeaf informed him when the last box of supplies had been carefully stowed away, Tonedeaf’s smile wide and delighted. "You should do it more."

Obi-Wan shrugged a little awkwardly. "I don't have much of a voice." 

Several of the brothers called out in protest, and Obi-Wan felt his neck heat a little at their vehement praise.

Tonedeaf only laughed, brushing his elbow against Obi-Wan's the way Obi-Wan had often seen the soldiers acknowledge one another. "Ah, but what does it matter? Singing is about joy, about sharing, General. That's what Lullaby always said."

Obi-Wan carefully let his own elbow brush against Tonedeaf's in turn. "Lullaby was right. He'd be glad you remembered."

"He'd have loved to hear you sing, General." Tonedeaf told him, smile still present despite the quiet melancholy in his voice. "He always did say you had a nice voice, perfect for singing."

It was too late, Obi-Wan knew, for Lullaby to ever hear Obi-Wan sing; Obi-Wan had never realized how many things there were for him to learn to regret.

—

There were only three stops to take the supplies to, and Obi-Wan found the time passed far too quickly. They were already finished distributing supplies at Ryloth, which was their second location.

He knew that once the supplies were delivered the men planned to return to Coruscant and Obi-Wan would need to choose whether to follow behind them or to continue to wander in search of something he had no name for.

"Waxer wanted to come back here." Boil said quietly, as the ship slowly rose from Ryloth, a group of twi'leks waving at them from the ground, Numa among them. "When the war was over."

"Do you want to stay?" Obi-Wan asked, because he knew what Waxer and Boil had been, knew Boil would have followed Waxer anywhere Waxer wanted to go. That sometimes Boil had to fight to convince himself that it wasn't time for him to follow Waxer, now that Waxer was marching away.

Boil seemed to consider the question carefully, and he had to know that if he said anything, then his brothers would put the ship down, right then and there. "Not yet." He said finally. "But maybe someday."

Obi-Wan nodded. At least now Boil had the opportunity to look forward to someday. He wished Waxer had had the same opportunity.  
  
They fell silent, as Boil stared down at where Numa, so small now, was still waving vehemently.

"The Jedi are taking more missions." Boil said, and he sounded curious and confused. "Nothing like most of the missions the Jedi went on during the war."

"Most Jedi weren't meant for war." Obi-Wan answered. "We were meant for relief and negotiations. We were meant to be an unbiased voice and ear."  
  
Boil seemed to consider that. The 212th had never had the opportunity to really help with relief, and while Obi-Wan had been the famed ‘Negotiator’ it had too often been a last resort before things devolved into fighting, or occasionally just a trap that would have turned into fighting no matter what Obi-Wan said. Finally Boil nodded. “You would be good at that."

Obi-Wan had been, in some ways. In others he had made a better General than a Jedi Master, but the man at his side would never condemn him for that. "I tried to be."

"We could go with you." Boil said, and there was a hint of longing in his voice. "I've always wanted to see the Galaxy when I didn't have to fight for it."  
  
Obi-Wan turned to look at Boil, who was watching as Ryloth grew smaller and smaller as they moved into real space. "You are welcome with me wherever I go. Wherever I am."

They stood together at the viewport as the ship moved to a jump point before they could jump into hyperspace, Boil's elbow brushing gently against his own.

—

He slept better now than he had since the war had ended, the hum of the ship beneath him, the feel of his men in the Force around him, alive and content. But some nights, his mind still pushed him out of the room he’d been given to wander the halls.

They would be delivering the final batch of supplies tomorrow, and Obi-Wan's dreams were full of people he had failed to save.

He found Wooley on his second round through the ship, sprawled out on the ground of one of the service hallways, flicking a small marble into the wall and watching as it bounce in all different directions, before catching the marble up and doing it again.

Obi-Wan would never want to intrude on any of his men's space, but Wooley looked up and saw him and the plea in his eyes was one Obi-Wan could never ignore.

He settled on the ground flat on his stomach beside Wooley, legs bent at the knee and toes brushing against the wall. Wooley’s lips twitched into something almost a smile as he flicked the small marble again, aiming it so it would bounce against the wall and roll towards Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan stopped the marble, holding it in place with one finger as he carefully aimed, middle finger and thumb creating a circle as he prepared to flick. The small tap of his nail against the small ball was strangely satisfying as the marble rolled away, knocking against the wall and towards Wooley.

They lay there, flicking the marble back and forth.

"I don't want to lose any more brothers, General." Wooley said quietly, an hour into the quiet.

Obi-Wan had long grown used to being powerless, but it didn't hurt any less. "Life is generally kinder than war." He said quietly. "But it is far from fair." He caught the marble as it rolled towards him. "I hope you and your brothers are allowed to see the best of it, though."

Wooley was quiet for a long moment, but when he answered he sounded sure. "I've been surrounded by the best of life since the day I was decanted."

Obi-Wan smiled a little, an emotion both sorrow and joy twisting through him. "I do think you're right. You and your brothers are some of the very best of life I've ever seen, Wooley."

"You don't regret what we brought you?" Wooley asked, confidence suddenly wavering, as though Wooley was worried that there was any chance Obi-Wan wasn't grateful daily for these men who had shown him how to live fully when all living seemed to bring was grief.

"You didn't bring the war." Obi-Wan reminded him, that had been the foolishness of the Senate and the whispers of the Sith. Obi-Wan would never want the war, but the war had entwined his path with that of the brothers and he couldn’t help but be eternally grateful for that. “My only regret is that I couldn't bring more of you through to the end of it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, purple hair is fantastic! I didn't quite intend to have purple hair, I actually was going for reddish (with maybe a LITTLE purple, but now it's purple with a LITTLE red, and some silver... which is also fun). But all in all, this was a happy surprise. So long as my university doesn't get all upset about 'unnatural' hair colors. 
> 
> Not that that's important, but I'm excited and happy and felt like sharing.


	10. Following Purpose

Cody found them there the next morning, the look on his face both shifting between amused and concerned. "Go get some sleep, Wooley." Cody looked as though he was considering giving Obi-Wan the same order, but with a shake of his head invited Obi-Wan to join him for breakfast instead.

Obi-Wan accepted both the invitation and the hand extended to help him up from his place on the floor of the hallway.

Rex was there waiting for Cody when they made it to the area set apart for meals. 

The situation between Obi-Wan and Rex was somewhat tense. 

Obi-Wan had once thought that Rex considered him almost a friend. Obi-Wan had spent a great deal of time with the 501st during the war, more than any other General had spent with a single battalion not their own.

Their interactions on Bandomeer had been a reflection of that friendship and support.

"Have you even looked at the messages on your commlink?" Rex asked, a hint of argument in his voice.

But at the same time, Rex seemed disinclined to completely forgive him for his perceived abandonment of Anakin.

Obi-Wan didn't completely blame Rex for that.

Obi-Wan saw Cody raise an eyebrow, the look on his face a mixture of exasperation and judgment. There was a guilty sort of comfort in knowing, that whatever his reasons, Cody seemed frustrated with Anakin and hadn't made even a token effort to discuss Anakin or Anakin's frustrations with Obi-Wan's disappearing act.

Obi-Wan shrugged. "I listened to Cody's." All of Cody's messages had been from while Cody was still on Alderaan, and had been quick and quiet updates on how the men were settling.

There had been none from the Council, and he appreciated their unspoken patience with him. They had run him hard during the war, and in hindsight he could see that he had taken on more than his fair share. But within the High Council, as much as Obi-Wan balked from acknowledging it, Obi-Wan had been one of the more successful Generals. If they had run him hard, it had been out of necessity. And now that they could, they were letting him breathe, even though Obi-Wan knew it had to be at least a little inconvenient for the rest of them.

Obi-Wan had recognized the rest of the comm id's as Anakin's or from the Senator's apartment and Obi-Wan had left them untouched. He wasn't sure what Anakin had left to say to him. Accusations, maybe. 

Based off what Captain Rex had told him, there might also be requests for Obi-Wan to meet his children, though Obi-Wan still struggled to see why Anakin would want that.

He doubted, though, that there was anything approximating an apology.

The thought filled him with shame. It seemed so petty, to wish for an apology. But Anakin had lied to him for three years, had spit on everything Obi-Wan had ever taught him. Had walked out of the Temple, venomous insults on the tip of his tongue, without even saying goodbye.

And the thought of picking up his comm and hearing Anakin speak to him as though nothing had happened, as though everything was just as it had been, left him feeling hollow and empty.

So he didn't listen.

It wasn’t even that Obi-Wan disapproved of Anakin’s love for Padme, or Anakin’s choice to leave the Jedi. If that was the right decision for Anakin, then Obi-Wan full-heartedly supported it.

It was the method of it all that he disapproved of. It was the method of it all that hurt.

"General Skywalker is worried about you." Rex told him, chewing angrily on the pre-packaged meal.

"Rex." Cody's voice was quiet, firm.

"I reached out to Anakin several times before I left Coruscant." Obi-Wan said, he never wanted to be the reason that Cody and Rex fought. "He wasn't ready to speak then and so I didn't press the issue. Surely I deserve the same respect."

He wasn't sure if that was actually true. Anakin was his former padawan, after all, and Obi-Wan his former Master. Was it Obi-Wan's responsibility to be there on Anakin's time-schedule?

Was it his responsibility to put aside his hurt and be what Anakin needed?

And he wanted to be there for Anakin, he did. He loved his former padawan dearly.

Rex frowned and then sighed. "That's fair."

Despite himself, Obi-Wan felt reassured. "Thank you."

"We're dropping off the last batch of supplies today." Cody said quietly into the silence that followed.

Obi-Wan stared down at his tea. "Yes, we are."

"We don't need to head back to Coruscant, if you aren't ready." Cody sounded like he meant it. "No one would mind the opportunity to see more of the Republic in something resembling peace time."

They wouldn't, but Obi-Wan suspected they wanted some sort of purpose beyond wandering.

The thought filled Obi-Wan with longing. He wanted purpose again too.

"I think I'm ready to return to Coruscant." He said finally, and Obi-Wan was surprised to find the thought was not as unwelcome as he'd expected it would be. "If that's where you want to go. But then, I’ll follow you and the men wherever you want to go, however long you're willing to let me follow you."

Cody just smiled at him, eyes soft and sincere. "I think High Generals Koon and Windu would be very disappointed if we ran off with you."

Obi-Wan wasn't sure that was true. Mace and Plo said he could have whatever time he needed. But he thought that perhaps he had gotten what he needed. And now what he needed was purpose, and beyond that, belonging. He wanted, he realized with some surprise, to return to the Temple, to return to the Jedi, they were his friends and his family, and he missed them.

Rex snorted, and it was genuinely entertained. "You wouldn't believe the sort of messages we'd get from Wolffe and Ponds if we did that.” He shuddered. "I might need to follow your example and just never open my messages."

Obi-Wan laughed. "I wouldn't blame you. Ponds and Wolffe are far more intimidating than Anakin could ever hope to be." He wondered if they'd always been that way, or if the two had learned from their own Generals. Mace and Plo had become dear friends to him, but both had reputations within the temple as Masters it would be foolish to cross, though for entirely different reasons.

A strange look crossed the Captain's face, and Obi-Wan wondered if he was trying to picture Anakin facing off in an argument against the two clone Commanders. The thought brought something of a smile to Obi-Wan's own face.

He wouldn't admit it out loud, but he'd always thought it would have been quite the showdown if Anakin ever actually had to deal with the fact that Cody, as Obi-Wan's Commander, technically outranked him, despite Anakin's status as General.

"Well, Wolffe is certainly far more talented with a well-placed and imaginative insults." Rex agreed.

Obi-Wan leaned forward a little. "Oh, do tell."

Cody leaned back in his chair as the conversation continued, eyes bright and smile a little smug and Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow in question. Cody just smiled, a little softer than before, but didn't bother explaining.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, the last chapter posted before school starts tomorrow... BUT it's the last year before I'm completely finished with University, so it's a little less depressing than it could be.
> 
> I'm actually going to try not to completely disappear this semester, but as I'm sure you all know, school and graduating and all that real life nonsense do indeed come first.
> 
> Anyways, hope you enjoyed...
> 
> And May the Force be with You!


	11. Standing at the End of the Ramp

The hangar was almost completely empty when they arrived. 

Almost.

“You really ought to go say hello.” Obi-Wan glanced at his Commander standing beside him at one of the view ports.

“I suppose you’re right.” Obi-Wan agreed, but still, Obi-Wan hesitated, shame keeping his feet in one position.

He had run.

He had needed it.

But the necessity of the act didn’t change the truth of it. Obi-Wan had been lost, had been overwhelmed, had been drowning—and so he had run, abandoning his post, abandoning his family.

He could feel the presence of his men around him, could see the few vod’e out in the hangar, and in the middle of it all, waiting right outside the ship stood Mace Windu.

Obi-Wan stood a moment longer, and then shook his head.

Standing here was never going to do him, or anyone else, any good. Caution had often done him well, but inaction wasn’t really his style. He gave Cody a nod, ignoring his Commander’s not so subtle smile, and moved past him and down through the ship to the landing ramp.

Mace was waiting patiently at the bottom of the ramp, the tilt of his head and slight lift of his brow practically exuding warmth, the drift of Mace’s force presence against his own in quiet greeting a reaffirmation of that same sentiment. "Obi-Wan, it's good to see you."

Obi-Wan couldn’t help but smile, and he reached out with the Force to brush against his friend’s presence in the Force in a metaphysical approximation of a hug. 

The edges of Mace's presence easily tangled with his, happiness and concern and love and hope all pressed against him. Force, how had he stayed away from his family for so long?

"It's good to be back." He bowed his head a little. "I'm sorry it took so long."

Mace dismissed the apology easily. "We all walked our own path after the war." Obi-Wan took the last few steps down the landing ramp to stand beside his friend.

"I am sorry I couldn't be here for you." He had tried, those first two months, just as Mace had tried for him. And Plo for Mace and Mace for Depa and Depa for Kit and Kit for Plo and Plo for Obi-Wan, and they had all been trying—perhaps Mace was right, Obi-Wan had needed to leave to find his peace, and the others had needed to walk their own paths as well.

Mace just raised a single eyebrow, his Force presence soft and understanding and apologetic against his own. "I think that is an apology that we've all felt the need to give."

Obi-Wan accepted that was probably true.

Mace hesitated a moment and then unclipped Obi-Wan’s lightsaber hilt from his utility belt where it had been hanging easily next to Mace’s own, and Obi-Wan couldn’t help but wonder if it had sat there the entire time Obi-Wan had been gone, or if Mace had only just brought it out to greet Obi-Wan. "There's still work to be done." There was no demand in the statement, just more patience.

Obi-Wan accepted the lightsaber, hooking it to his own belt and was relieved when the overwhelming weight from before no longer threatened to unbalance him. It was still heavier than it had once been, the kyber crystal within carrying within it a grief and weight that a few months was not enough to erase. 

"What do you need me to do?"

Mace smiled. “For your own sake, you would have been better off delaying a few more hours. We have a council meeting starting in thirty minutes.”

Obi-Wan made sure that his face looked appropriately appalled. “That would be just my luck. I don’t suppose you gave away my council seat while I was away?”

“You should be so lucky.” Mace laughed, and started to move towards the doors of the temple. Obi-Wan matched his steps to his friend’s easily.

Obi-Wan effected a groan, even as he felt the hint of a smile tugging at his lips. “Lucky, now that’s not a term I think anyone else would agree with. Not unless we’re saying it’s the Sith’s Luck.” The phrase was used less now then when Obi-Wan had been an initiate and padawan, due to the actual presence of Sith in the Galaxy, even if Obi-Wan thought it had only gotten more accurate for him.

“Lucky enough to get the worst of it, lucky enough to get out of it too.” Mace agreed. “Sith’s Luck is exactly what you’ve got.” Mace’s smile went a little sharp. “You’ll need it, too. Your former Padawan’s been stirring up quite the ruckus whenever he storms through the temple looking for you.” Mace’s voice was carefully controlled, though Obi-Wan thought he could sense Mace’s displeasure, though Mace was trying to keep the feeling contained and away from him. “I think he wants you to babysit.” 

Obi-Wan felt his eyes widen at the thought. He’d spent time in the Creche, of course. Almost everyone in the order did. But that was not the same thing as babysitting. Especially not Anakin’s children, who if Obi-Wan knew his own luck, would take after their father.

“Twins.” Mace added, as though he was reading Obi-Wan’s mind. “I’d suggest hiding for as long as possible.” Something wry crossed Mace’s face, as they stepped into the lift that would lead up towards the Council Chambers. “Or you could try learning how to say no.”

Obi-Wan decided to leave Mace’s suggestion to hide from Anakin aside, not sure how to respond when he didn’t know his own thoughts on the matter. He missed Anakin. “I’m perfectly capable of saying, no, Mace.”

Mace nodded. “Oh, I’m sure you are.” Mace’s voice sounded sincere, but Obi-Wan could feel Mace in the Force and in the Force the words were practically dripping in sarcasm and disbelief. “I’ve never seen it happen, of course, but that doesn’t mean anything.”

“You’re one to talk.” Obi-Wan retorted. Near the end of the war, Obi-Wan had been genuinely concerned that his friend would work himself into an earlier grave than the war was already trying to make seem inevitable.

Mace shrugged. “Well, I suppose that means you’re in good company.”

“That means I have company.” Obi-Wan retorted. “The quality of said company is currently in question.”

Mace shrugged again, and his presence in the Force brushed across Obi-Wan’s again, soft and warm and happy as they reached the Council Chambers, Obi-Wan could feel most of the Council already gathered within. “Well, I have no doubt of the quality of the company I share.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whelp, made it through the first week of school and I'm still alive, so that's a good sign. Or at least I'm choosing to take it as such.
> 
> Storywise, from here on out we should start getting to the ridiculous fluffy stuff, with maybe a few dips into the serious and angsty, (because apparently I can't help myself, it might be a problem?) but... yeah, mostly fluffy. BECAUSE I CAN. And this universe is all FLUFF and HAPPINESS. Because Palpatine is dead and I can do what I want.


	12. A Friendly Spar

Obi-Wan hadn't realized how much he'd missed out on, having only been a member of the Council during the war. It had been strange to look across the room and see each of the chairs filled with the members they were meant for, instead of half of the seats containing holographic projections.

One thing, at least hadn’t changed. Certain councillors still liked to talk, and the meeting had gone long.

Obi-Wan nodded goodbye to Mace and Depa who were quietly talking about Depa’s padawan’s progress.

"Wolffe is trying to figure out how they'll make a part of the ship capable of maintaining my natural atmosphere." Plo told him as they left the council chambers. 

Obi-Wan looked at his friend, who despite being far more in tune with his emotions than Obi-Wan would ever claim to be, seemed lost by his Commander's insistence. "He wants you to be able to call it home."

Plo looked genuinely confused. "Surely he knows that wherever he and the rest of the Wolfpack are is home?"

Obi-Wan shrugged, what did he know about what it meant to love and be loved in return? "They probably wouldn't mind hearing you say it."

Plo looked a little taken aback, but then nodded. "I suppose you're right."

"No need for surprise." Obi-Wan teased. "It was bound to happen eventually." 

Plo's eyes were mischievous behind his mask. "The Force is capable of all sorts of miracles, it would seem."

Obi-Wan laughed. "Perhaps you could convince the Force to grant you a miracle of your own. I've been wanting to get a spar in." 

The offer came out a little tentatively, but Plo accepted immediately, the Force sparking with challenge. "Loser gets to volunteer to host the next council dinner?" Plo offered, a hint of gleefulness in his voice, not quite hidden by his usual serenity.

Obi-Wan blinked in confusion. "Council dinner?" He was fairly certain he'd never heard of such a thing, and he'd been on the council for over three years. But then, he'd been a war councilor. Who was to say what had fallen to the wayside to accommodate the demands of war.

Plo's eyes went bright and now the Force was practically dancing with mischievous glee. "Oh yes, council dinners. It was Yoda's idea, but we all do our best to make sure that one of us volunteers to host and cook before Yoda can volunteer." Plo’s voice went dark. "I don't know if you've ever had Yoda's stew, but—"

Obi-Wan shuddered, he was a member of one of Yoda's many lineages, he had been forced to eat that blasted stew more than he liked to remember.  
  
"Oh, I've had the experience." He couldn't quite keep the note of horror out of his voice. Even Anakin couldn't handle Yoda's stew, and Anakin ate bugs on a far too regular basis.

Though, now that Obi-Wan thought about it, Yoda’s dinners had probably been good practice for some of the Negotiation dinners he'd participated in. Some measly poison slipped onto his dinner plate had nothing on Yoda's cooking.

Plo nodded, clearly recognizing that Obi-Wan understood exactly why the other councillors were determined to not give Master Yoda the chance to volunteer. "So, Master Kenobi, what do you say, loser volunteers to cook for the next council dinner?"

Obi-Wan pursed his lips in thought. "Deal. I've always wanted to try the shrike kabobs you make that Mace always raves about."

Plo's eyes gleamed. "And it's been a long time since I've had your lineage's secret syrup recipe with stacked flat cakes. I look forward to you preparing it for all of us."

They moved quickly through the halls of the Temple making their way to the training salles. He didn't think he'd ever sparred against Plo before, they'd rarely been on planet at the same time during the war, and when they had been there had always been any number of other things keeping them busy. And while Obi-Wan had considered Plo a friend even before he'd been made a Councillor, Obi-Wan didn't think they'd ever sparred.

It was late—and why did Council meetings always go so late? Obi-Wan had hoped that was something the War had caused, but it looked like that might just be normal—and very few of the salles were in use, so he and Plo had an easy time finding an empty one.

Obi-Wan let his robe slide off his shoulders, tossing it on one of the viewing benches on the side.

"Your lineage has always been dramatic." Plo commented as he removed his own robe. "Always with the robe drop. Is it so difficult to take the robe off like a normal person?"

Obi-Wan laughed. "You've met my lineage, have you not? One of us was so dramatic he went and became a Sith Lord, I think the rest of us pale in comparison. Robe drop or no robe drop." Anyways, robe dropping was an _art_. At least he hadn't gone for a _cape_, now that had just been tacky, _Dooku_.

Plo sighed, the sound heavy through his oxygen mask and ignited his lightsaber, setting it to spar strength. "I have met your lineage, I've also beaten most of them in a spar."

Obi-Wan grinned, igniting his own saber, setting it to spar strength as well. "Well, I can't let that stand now, can I?"

Plo attacked first, lunging forward with a powerful strike. Obi-Wan deflected it, letting the strike slide to the side. Plo was a powerful fighter, and his blows held a tightly leashed power behind them while not overextending himself.

They circled around each other, testing at each other's limits, moving back and forth across the training room. "Show him who's boss, General!" The voice was accompanied by an accompanied cheer and Obi-Wan glanced to the side to see that some of the 104th had apparently found them and were taking seats on the viewing benches.

Plo's next attack was fierce and Obi-Wan let himself be moved backward. The presence of the clones had turned the friendly spar into an opportunity to show off a little, and despite what Plo might have claimed, Obi-Wan was far from the only one here who was capable of being dramatic.

"Showing off, Plo?" Obi-Wan shook his head, tutting a little. "What sort of example are you setting for me?"

Plo laughed a little. "If you can't keep up, Obi-Wan, you should just say so."

Obi-Wan pulled back a little, twirling his lightsaber. He eyed his friend, feeling a little gleeful. "Now Plo, you know better than to encourage me." He beckoned a little with his free hand. "You'll find I can keep up just fine."

Plo surged forward again and the fight quickly turned into a dance. Plo's soldiers cheering them on loudly as they went, particularly loud and gleeful every time it looked like Plo was driving him back.

Obi-Wan found he was not at all surprised when the familiar presence of some of his own soldiers entered the room not long after. Apparently the 104th had spread the news. His men's cheers mixed with the 104th, but at least now some of the voices were cheering him on. Plo's eyes were sharp behind his mask as their lightsabers locked. "How many bets do you think my men will win when you concede?"

Obi-Wan grinned. "I think you'll find that it's _my_ men who'll be winning those bets." He smiled. "You look like you're starting to get tired, my friend. Sure you don't need a break?"

Plo retaliated with several hard, fast blows and Obi-Wan danced out of the way. And then it was on again, circling and dodging and deflecting.

Time faded away as everything became the fight and the Force and the feeling of his fellow Jedi beside him.

The mistake came, so small as to be almost invisible, but Obi-Wan jumped on it, slipping into Plo's guard. He pulled his blow at Plo's neck. Plo froze, but the beam of his saber powered down.

"Shrike kabobs for the next Council dinner?" Plo asked, and his breath was a little heavy.

Obi-Wan smiled and powered down his own saber. "I look forward to it."

Plo rested a heavy hand on his shoulder. "It's good to have you back, Obi-Wan. You were missed."

It made Obi-Wan embarrassingly emotional, to think he'd been missed. That there were people who cared if he was there or not, and not just for what Obi-Wan could do for them. He'd been missed just as himself.

"It's good to be back." He paused. "I missed you as well."

Together they headed to the viewing seats where they'd left their robes, now occupied by the men had gathered to cheer.

"Well done, General." 

"Thank you, Gunner." Obi-Wan smiled at the soldier.

"You won me a lunch off of Stain, sir. As much as I can eat."

Obi-Wan couldn't help but laugh. "I'm not sure Stain thought that bet through, you eat enough for three men."

Gunner's smile was deceptively angelic.

"You ready to go, sir?" Obi-Wan turned a little, smiling at the sight of Cody standing behind him with Obi-wan's robe draped over his arm.

"Of course." He reached out for his robe, using the sleeve to wipe at his face before throwing it over his own arm. "Did I win you anything?" He paused. "You didn't bet against me, I hope?"

"I would never." Cody smirked a little. "And I won a favor from Wolffe."

"Ah. Quite the high stakes. You must have both been quite certain on the winner if you were willing to bet a favor." Favors were one of the highest forms of currency between the soldiers, perhaps even more than they were among the Jedi. Obi-Wan still winced when he thought about the last time he’d lost a favor to Quinlan.

Cody shrugged a little, looking incredibly satisfied. "We always are, sir, we always are. Wolffe just had the misfortune of being wrong this time around."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I just tell you guys how happy it makes me that so many of you love Mace Windu? That's what I learned from the comments you guys left last chapter. 
> 
> Seriously, that man deserves all the happiness. And while this is still and ever will be an Obi-Wan-centric story, I'll do my best to make sure that that Mace gets all the happy goodness that he deserves. Because FLUFF and happiness are the name of the game. 
> 
> Anyways, thanks for reading, guys. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
> 
> May the Force be with you!


	13. A Claim with Colors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan decides to spend some time in the Creche.
> 
> It's a colorful experience.

"I don't know why, but I never really expected you to be good with children."

Obi-Wan looked up, surprised to see Rex standing at the edge of the door, Kix behind him. "I've always liked children." Obi-Wan said, and then paused. "Well, perhaps not always."

There had been a certain few times when he'd been a teenager where he'd wanted nothing to do with the Creche.

It still hurt, in some ways, that it had been Master Nu, and not his own Master, who had realized that Obi-Wan had not escaped Melida-Daan unscathed. 

When the playful shrieks of the initiates had sent Obi-Wan's mind to different children, shrieking not in joy, but in pain.

He had struggled for years to fight back the panic those sounds caused, him, sounds that threatened to make him forget that he was back in the temple and not alone with the Young and the dead.

Rex entered the room carefully, looking around curiously at the room. "Creche Master Nira said we could help with the finger painting lesson today."

Obi-Wan nodded. "Cody said he and Boil were going to be here as well." He smiled. "Cody said he has plans to lead a revolt to see if he can convince Bear clan to turn me into the canvas." Not, Obi-Wan thought, that Bear clan would need much convincing, not if they were anything like Obi-Wan had been as a child. "I do hope you aren't here to help him."

Rex's smile went sharp and challenging. "Would I do that?" Which, Obi-Wan thought a little wryly, was as good as a confession of intent.

Cody and Boil arrived just before Creche Master Nira welcomed them in to the main room. "They've just had snacks, so they're all yours for the next two hours, Master Kenobi."

Obi-Wan smiled. "I'm sure we'll be able to do plenty of damage in that time."

Creche Master Nira lifted a finger warningly. "You make a mess, you clean it up."

Obi-Wan gave her his deepest bow. "Creche Master Nira, what you must think of me! Of course we'll clean up after ourselves."

Creche Master Nira sent him another warning look, obviously and for good reason concerned, but left them alone with the children.

The paints were spread across a few tables, small canvases available for the children, clones, and Obi-Wan. The twelve children of Bear clan were already busy with their pictures.

That lasted about ten minutes.

As Obi-Wan had suspected, it didn't take long for his Commander to stage his revolt and encourage Bear clan to help give Obi-Wan's plain cream tunics a bit of color.

Obi-Wan allowed it good-naturedly, sitting still as Rex and Kix led the assault on the left and back of his tunics. Cody grinned at him as the Commander carefully dipped his fingers in paint and started drawing a careful symbol on Obi-Wan's forehead.

For a moment Obi-Wan was concerned that there might be some sort of allergen in the paint, his skin tingling wherever Cody touched him.

Obi-Wan smiled when Bear clan finally drew back, observing him with intent faces, before they all nodded to each other. "You're done!" They told him, voices mixing together happy and loud.

Obi-Wan looked down at himself, and nodded seriously. "I feel like a masterpiece." He let out a purposefully thoughtful hum, carefully rubbing at his beard. "Oh dear. We might have a small problem though."

The children looked up at him, eyes wide and worried. "What's wrong?" One of the older children asked, voice painfully sincere in its concern.

Obi-Wan carefully glanced at the clones, Cody narrowed his eyes as though he knew exactly what Obi-Wan was thinking.

He probably did.

"I'm just concerned, you see, the men are used to being in their armor, and it's always painted." He gestured to where his men were wearing a mix of civvies and their blacks. "They're dreadfully under color today."

Every single one of the children perked up, turning to stare at the clones with wide, pleading eyes, already shifting to grab more of the paint.

Predictably, all four men caved within seconds.

Bear clan swarmed delightedly, making the men all sit down, claiming legs and arms as their personal canvas.

Obi-Wan couldn't help his smug smile as he joined some of the children around his own Commander, carefully picking out his own little can of paint.

He raised an eyebrow in question and Cody sighed, rolling his eyes, but his smile was fond as he tilted his head to grant Obi-Wan access.

Obi-Wan was quick to take the offer.

"You know," Cody told him, a little while later, his voice not in any way hiding his laughter. "Rex is looking a little boring."

Obi-Wan looked up from where he was carefully replicating Cody's helmet along his forehead, doing his best to avoid getting paint into his Commander's hair. He glanced over at Rex who was currently surrounded by four different children and was starting to look very colorful. "He won't be for long."

Cody just shoved a container of gold paint at him, eyes challenging. "The kids won't touch his face. But I won't be the only one walking out of here with their face all colorful."

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow, gesturing to where Cody had previously marked him with paint, but accepted his assignment with good grace. He moved from Cody to where Rex was settled, making space for himself between the zabrak girl carefully drawing on Rex's leg and the human boy working on his shoulder. "Cody's concerned you aren't getting enough paint." He told the Captain, taking in the Captain's face.

Rex's eyes seemed to drift down Obi-Wan's body, no doubt taking in the impressive amount of paint Obi-Wan had managed to accumulate on his person, before meeting Obi-Wan's eyes, lip quirking up in a smile. "You going to help fix that?"

"If you wouldn't mind?" He asked, it was one thing to let the children make their mark, but quite another thing to allow Obi-Wan at his face with a container of paint.

"Go ahead." Rex smiled, the challenge in his eyes a match for the challenge that had been in Cody's. Obi-Wan carefully smudged a bit of gold paint underneath those eyes, highlighting the brightness of them. Rex's skin was warm beneath his fingers, and the Captain didn't look away once as Obi-Wan carefully covered Rex in 212th gold.

—

They garnered quite a few laughs as they made their way through the the temple and back to the ship. "Spending time in the creche, I take it?" Mace asked, face carefully composed to hide how much he wanted to laugh at them.

He didn't bother to hide the emotion in the Force though, and Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes at his friend. The man was clearly holding in some entirely inappropriate guffaws.

"Children are our future." Obi-Wan said, putting the proper solemnity in the phrase.

"Yes." Mace nodded, eying Obi-Wan and the clones as the four men slid past, Cody’s and then Rex’s hands brushing against the back of his arm to indicate both their movement and a farewell. "And a colorful future it will be."

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow at what was a remarkably terrible pun for Mace. "Was that really the best you could come up with?"

Mace, tilted his head as though he didn't understand, perfectly portraying politely confused. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about, Obi-Wan. I must have lost the art of following your train of thought."

Obi-Wan scowled. "Please stop. You're just getting worse."

Mace blinked slowly, his face a perfect picture of solemnity, and Obi-Wan decided that it was best to make his retreat now before Mace was able to say anything more.

"I'll see you at dinner tonight?" He asked as he backed up, ignoring the victorious look in Mace's eyes.

Mace nodded. "Council dinner at Plo's. His Shrike kabobs are just the thing if you're feeling a little blue—"

Obi-Wan beat a retreat and hoped that Mace had worked his desire to turn everything into a terrible pun out by the time dinner started.

The worst part about Mace and his puns was that no one who wasn't a member of the council would believe Obi-Wan if he mentioned it.

Force, there had been one particular holo meeting where Mace had slid a pun into every other sentence, driving nearly everyone to twitch when he opened his mouth to speak. 

When the meeting had finished, Anakin, who'd been reporting on his and the 501st's progress had refused to believe that Mace had even realized what he'd been doing. Had genuinely argued that it had to be coincidence because, and Obi-Wan could quote him, "Windu wouldn't know what a sense of humor was if it was introduced by explosions and waving Ventress' lightsabers."

Mace had been smug when Obi-Wan had shared the story with him later and Obi-Wan was fairly certain that every time Mace had seen Anakin since, there'd been at least one pun slipped in.

Not that Anakin had noticed.

Obi-Wan sighed, shaking his head, pushing Anakin and his insistence that he knew everything there was to know about the Council—and just how lacking he found them all—from his mind.

He made his way through the rest of the temple back to the ship without anyone else stopping him, though a couple of the clones cheered appreciatively as he passed them once he made it to the ship.

It wasn't the Negotiator—that was still a work in progress. The space of the ship, however, was filled with the members of Ghost Company and other 212th as well as more and more of the 501st.

And of course, Obi-Wan.

Now that he thought about it, he wasn't actually sure why he hadn't moved back into his rooms in the temple. He was taking up valuable space.

He bit his lip. Yes, he really ought to move back into his own room. He didn't want to intrude on his men's space. He was undoubtedly being unbearably rude. Once he left, he’d remind Cody that he and the rest of the men were perfectly in their rights to kick him out when he overstayed his welcome.

Still, most of his things he needed were in the ship were his and he really did need to get clean. He could deal with returning to his proper place later.

Wooley waved at him as he passed and Obi-Wan waved back, finally making it to the small space that he'd been given at the beginning and moving to get clean.

He stared at himself in the fresher mirror.

Cody's sunburst was perfectly outlined against the right of his forehead, and the left of his face was carefully marked in 501st blue where Rex had requested his own turn at Obi-Wan's face.

That wasn't the only place he was marked in 212th gold or 501st blue.

He wasn't sure how he'd missed it before, but somehow the clones had managed to keep the children to differing shades of blue and gold while Obi-Wan had acted as canvas. Streaks and splots and trees and suns and random aurabesh letters. Anything and everything that the children had thought of.

He wasn't entirely sure what he was supposed to think about the not entirely subtle claim, or the fact that he'd just walked through the entire temple wearing said claim.

It did, however take him longer to wash off then it probably should have.

For reasons he couldn't quite understand, he left his face—and the marks left behind by Cody and Rex—for last.


	14. Drunken (but sincere) invitations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Council Dinner Night

Obi-Wan felt giddy, a completely inappropriate giggle slipping out of his mouth as Depa draped herself over her Council chair with what was probably _supposed_ to be decorum, but was in reality far closer to a drunken sprawl.

Another giggle escaped and he looked down at this drink with some alarm. “Just what sort of alcohol are you giving me, Plo?”

Plo, who was carefully slipping his own alcohol through a straw, sent him a smug look. “It’s a Kel Dor special. It can be particularly potent for standard and near-standard humans.”

Yoda let out a mad cackle at something Mace said and Obi-Wan looked at Plo in alarm.

“And Yoda.” Plo added.

Obi-Wan looked down at his drink again before shrugging and tossing it back. Given that one of his experiences getting drunk included getting taken captive by Hondo and his crew, he was rather certain that anything else he ended up doing would be relatively minor in comparison.

Not that he thought Plo would be letting any of them out of the Council Chambers unless they were either relatively sober or being escorted by someone who was sober.

He pushed himself to his feet and carefully made his way to the table that had been set up in the middle of the Council Chamber. He’d already had one serving of Shrike Kabobs, but it turned out that Mace had been down-playing just how absolutely delicious they were.

And how messy, Obi-Wan noted with a bit of alarm, as his hand-eye coordination failed him. He looked back at Plo who was subtly recording Ki Adi and Kit as they dramatically gave a retelling of their exploits on—well, actually Obi-Wan wasn’t sure what story this was supposed to be, it sounded a bit like they’d gotten their campaigns confused. Which was fair, it was hard enough to remember what had happened on which planet during which campaign when sober.

It was much harder when drunk.

Though, at least the two of them were still on their feet. Depa had managed to slide from her chair and was laying on her stomach staring out the window in apparent fascination, giggling to herself.

“Who, exactly, is in charge of cleaning up after a Council Dinner?” Obi-Wan asked Plo. “And do we get to sober up before that happens?”

Plo chuckled a little. “We even let you take something for the hangover first.” Plo gave him a considering look. “I’m actually impressed you’re still on your feet, you’ve had at least as much as Depa.”

Obi-Wan found another giggle escaping him, and wondered whether this ‘Kel Dor special’ made people prone to random bursts of giggles. Obi-Wan was normally _not_ a giggling-drunk. “You’ll find I’m quite capable at holding my liquor. You should ask Cody—” He stopped, mind caught on how brilliant an idea that would be.

“I should ask Commander Cody what?” Plo prompted.

Obi-Wan shook his head, because suddenly the stories about long hyperspace journeys where the paperwork was done and the ship-brewed alcohol came out seemed far less important than this new thought. “We should invite Cody and Wolffe and—” he looked around. “Ponds and Grey and Rex—” wait, Rex wasn’t one of the Councillor’s Commanders.

Didn’t matter, Obi-Wan very much wanted him here.

Plo seemed to agree because he had already pulled out his comm link and was carefully putting in codes.

“I don’t know why I didn’t think of that.” His friend was muttering to himself. “Or why it took you getting drunk to have that idea.”

Obi-Wan didn’t know why, either. The men were clearly the only thing missing in what was otherwise a perfect night.

It was a shame that he couldn’t fit all of his men into the Council Room, he thought a little morosely as he carefully put in Cody’s comm codes into his own comm link. That would make everything _perfect_.

Cody answered his comm almost immediately. “Is everything all right, sir? I thought you were at a Council Dinner?”

“I am.” Obi-Wan said carefully, trying to make sure he didn’t sound quite as drunk as he probably was. “You should come.”

Cody snorted a little. “I’m not a Councillor, last I checked.”

Obi-Wan waved a hand dismissively. “Neither is Wolffe, but that’s not stopping Plo from inviting him. Oh!” He’d almost forgotten. “You should bring Rex, as well.”

Cody was suspiciously silent for a long moment. “Are you drunk, sir?”

Obi-Wan sighed, he should have known that Cody would notice, Obi-Wan rarely got anything past his Commander. “Only a little bit.”

Cody hummed in that way that meant he didn’t fully believe Obi-Wan. “Do you need me to come escort you back to the ship?”

“No.” Obi-Wan protested. “I just want you to be here. Plo made Shrike Kabobs.”

“Yes, you told me before you left.” Cody was starting to sound a little amused, it was a good sound when it was coming from his Commander, even if Obi-Wan was his source of amusement.

“I like it when you’re happy.” Obi-Wan said, the words slipping free easily, the Kel Dor special having completely ruined his filters. “You should always be happy.”

Cody didn’t answer immediately, but when he answered he sounded fond. “I suppose it would be a shame to miss out on Shrike Kabobs, if you’re inviting me.”

“Yes, I’m inviting you.” He felt a surge of joy and had to stop himself from giggling again. “And you’ll bring Rex too?”

“Yes, I’ll bring Rex. But I’m not drinking, someone needs to be sober to get you back to the ship. Now, make sure there are still Shrike Kabobs when we show up.”

“Oh. That’s good. It’s good you’re both coming.” He sighed happily. He really was very, very drunk, but it was hard to care when he knew his favorite people were about to be here.

His Commander laughed at him a little. “I’ll be there soon.” With that, Cody hung up on him.

Obi-Wan turned a little to see Plo watching him, shaking a little with laughter. “What?”

“You’re really quite drunk, and you’re broadcasting in the Force just a little bit.”

Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes, feeling a little off balance as he did so. “I’m fairly certain there’s a rule that anything broadcasted while drunk _doesn’t count_.”

Plo nodded, only somewhat seriously. “Oh, of course not. I wouldn’t dream of it.” He smiled a little. “It’s good to see you happy, Obi-Wan.”

Obi-Wan felt another little surge of happiness at Plo’s genuine happiness at Obi-Wan’s happiness—the moment was slightly ruined by another bout of giggles slipping past his lips.

It didn’t take long for Cody, Rex, and Wolffe to show up. Obi-Wan had spent the time waiting for them trying to fiercely guard the Shrike Kabobs from being eaten. He’d been relatively successful, but even drunk (or perhaps especially drunk) Master Yoda was sneaky and had no qualms about engaging in inappropriate and frivolous use of the Force if it meant getting more Shrike Kabobs.

But even with that, there was still plenty when the three soldiers arrived.

Obi-Wan grinned a little when Mace took one look at the three men before letting out an excited, not-entirely-verbal noise as he searched desperately for his own comm.

Cody gave him a fond look. “Didn’t tell the others what you were doing?”

Obi-Wan shrugged a little. “It’s not my fault they didn’t think about it.” He swayed a little bit, body tilting towards Cody. “I’m glad you’re here. I saved you and Rex some Shrike Kabobs. Yoda tried to steal them all.”

Rex laughed. “Saving us food from the Grandmaster himself. I feel honored.” He took a bite of the Shrike Kabobs, and Obi-Wan watched with delight as the Captain’s eyes widened. “Oh.” He turned to Cody. “You have to try this.”

Cody laughed, but he looked equally amazed upon trying the food, quickly grabbing a few more pieces for his plate. “Oh, this is good. Do you suppose General Koon would share the recipe.”

Obi-Wan shrugged. “Possible, but doubtful. I think it might be his lineage’s secret recipe.”

Rex turned to look at him, eyebrow raised in obvious amusement. “Lineage secret recipe?”

Obi-Wan nodded seriously, though the way he swayed a little as he did so ruined the gravitas of the situation. Lineage secret recipes were no joke.

“We should do something like this with the men.” Cody said as he took another bite of food. “Well, maybe not something quite like this. But have the occasional night where one or two of the men take turns making dinner for the rest of us.”

Obi-Wan perked up immediately. “Oh yes, that would be wonder—” he broke off, his earlier conviction that he was taking up space where he didn’t belong returning with a vengeance that surprised him. He’d thought the Kel Dor special had quite blocked him off from those less pleasant emotions and thoughts. And the thought of leaving his men to hide away in his own empty, sterile apartment in the Temple was quite certainly an unpleasant thought that led to unpleasant emotions.

Cody raised an eyebrow at him curiously. “Wonderful? Is that the word you were looking for?” He exchanged glances with Rex. “How drunk did General Koon get you?”

Obi-Wan scowled, a little betrayed that they’d thought he was anywhere near drunk enough to forget such a simple word. He was a very eloquent drunk, most of the time. “I didn’t forget the word. I’ll just be sad to miss out on it, is all.” And oh, he wasn’t supposed to say that.

“Why would you be missing it?” Rex asked.

“Because I’m intruding.” Obi-Wan said, giving Rex his best this-should-be-readily-apparent look, though he suspected he missed the mark a bit. “I’m taking up space where I don’t belong.”

Cody and Rex exchanged looks again, and even when Obi-Wan was sober he had a hard time deciphering the absolute wealth of meaning the two of them were capable of sharing in those small minute looks. All of the vod’e could do it. But Rex and Cody seemed to be able to share more than most.

They were so good for each other.

“General.” Cody paused. “Obi-Wan.” Obi-Wan flushed a little at the intent, serious way his name came out of his Commander’s mouth. “If you feel like you need to leave the ship and settle in the Temple, we’ll all understand and support that. Full-heartedly.”

Obi-Wan nodded, of course. He knew that they—

“But if you’re leaving because you think you’re intruding, or that you don’t belong.” Cody let out a small snort. “Then—and I wish I didn’t have to say this, because I’d hoped you _knew_ it already, Obi-Wan—you very much belong with us.” He cleared his throat. “The 212th, that is.” He and Rex exchanged another loaded look.

“And the 501st too.” Rex added quickly, but still just as sincerely as Cody had been.

And they _were_ sincere. The Force was a little hazy in his somewhat drunken state, but Obi-Wan could still feel it there. More than that, though. He knew his Commander. He knew Cody. He _knew_ when Cody was being sincere, when Cody meant what he said. And while he perhaps didn’t know Rex quite as well, he’d still say he knew the Captain well enough to see _that_.

And Cody and Rex had both very much meant what they’d said.

“Oh.” Obi-Wan felt something warm bubble inside of him, and this time he didn’t think he could blame it on the alcohol. “Well then. I think the idea for meals with the men would be quite wonderful.”


	15. Stew or Something of the Sort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter Ahsoka

Obi-Wan came to a sudden stop in the doorway, blinking in surprise. Behind him Wooley let out a curse as the soldier nearly ran into Obi-Wan's back. "Ahsoka." He glanced down the hallway in both directions, but it was empty of anyone else but the initiates he'd been teaching katas, headed to go get dinner. "Is there something I can help you with?"

Ahsoka bit her lip, looking strangely unsure. "Have you been avoiding me?"

Obi-Wan stared at her, confused. Avoiding Ahsoka? "Of course not, but you seemed to want space. I wanted to respect that. You more than deserved that."

Ahsoka nodded. "That's what Master Plo said, but Skyguy thought you were avoiding us."

Behind him Trapper snorted as he and Wooley nudged Obi-Wan forward so they could exit the training room to stand next to him in the hallway.

Well, Anakin was half right. Obi-Wan had been quite careful in his avoidance of Anakin. Not that it was particularly hard, Anakin was no longer a Jedi. While no one would kick Anakin from the Temple—though Obi-Wan suspected there were a few who longed to, Mace could only listen to Anakin gripe at him so many times before he wanted to start griping back—it was no longer Anakin's home and Anakin wasn't present often.

Though the last time Anakin had been in the Temple, Obi-Wan had been in the council chambers for his first Council Dinner and had been far too drunk and happy to answer his comm, it was one of the few time he'd avoided Anakin on accident, rather than on purpose. He still wasn’t sure if that was a fortunate or unfortunate happenstance.

Ahsoka glanced at Wooley and Trapper, obviously taking in their lack of hurry to move along and the faint sheen of sweat that showed they'd been participating in kata lessons. "Do you think you have time to talk?"

Obi-Wan nodded immediately. "I believe Boil has gathered ingredients to try his hand at cooking tonight, we were just headed there. You can join us if you'd like?" He paused. "Or if you'd like we can go elsewhere."

Ahsoka hesitated, looking unsure. "I wouldn't want to interrupt your plans."

Obi-Wan shook his head. "I'm sure the men wouldn't mind me deserting them for a night. You may in fact be doing me a favor by saving me from food poisoning."

Wooley laughed. "Don't let Boil hear you say that, General. He'd be devastated."

"He burns water." Obi-Wan retorted, and he could feel a smile tugging at his lips. "He knows he's asking us to risk life and limb to try his food."

Ahsoka hesitated, and her own lips were tugging up into a smile. "If you have space for one more, I wouldn't say no to dinner with you and some of your men."

Obi-Wan nodded. "Of course we have space for more." He gestured down the hallway and they started moving together.

"Where are you meeting?" Ahsoka asked, her steps falling into sync with his own. The question awkward amidst the unspoken tension.

"The ship is docked in hanger 5."

Ahsoka frowned. "I thought the clones were being given space in the temple. Why are they still in a ship?"

Obi-Wan nodded. "For those who want it, yes. I know Kit's troopers who didn't want to settle elsewhere are in the temple. Depa's and Mace's too. Currently Ghost Company is lobbying to get the Negotiator back, but some people feel like a flagship is somewhat overkill for those of the 212th and the 501st who’ve gathered. Plo's men prefer their ship as well."

"We're going to convince them we need our flagship back.” Wooley said, voice determined. "Cody's got a plan. We're putting together a presentation.” They were doing far more than just putting together a presentation, last Obi-Wan heard, but that was the first step. Cody's plan was _very, very_ thorough.

Ahsoka nodded, a smile tugging at her mouth. She gave Obi-Wan a curious look. "Do you visit them in their ship often? Or do they come to the temple often?"

"I tend to eat dinner with the men." Obi-Wan prevaricated, not sure why, but hesitant to admit that he stayed there as well. "Though there is the occasional Council Dinner." Depa was hosting the next dinner, and Obi-Wan had been entertained listening to Mace complain fondly about the number of times Depa had nearly poisoned him when she'd been a Padawan. "And Mace, Plo, and I try to get together at least once a week, schedules permitting." Kit was making noise about Obi-Wan dropping in for dinner with him and Aayla (and most likely Commander Bly) one of these days, but they'd yet to decide on a time to get together.

"General Kenobi is actually cooking for all of us tomorrow." Trapper added. "There are bets going around as to whether he can cook or not. The General refuses to say." Trapper made his eyes wide and pleading, as he looked at Ahsoka. "I don't suppose you'd give one of your former men some insider knowledge?"

Ahsoka blinked at Trapper, but then shrugged. "I don't actually know. He's never cooked for me." She gave Obi-Wan an assessing look. "I'd put a bet on not."

Obi-Wan laughed a little, trying to ignore the pang of guilt. Had he really never cooked for Ahsoka? She was his grandpadawan. It felt like yet another failure to add to his list of failures. "You'd be in the majority." He told her. "Cody and Rex are already setting aside berths in the Medbay for those kind enough to try and stomach my food."

Ahsoka startled a little. "Rex? Is he with the 212th?"

"A few of us from the 501st are." Trapper said before Obi-Wan could compose a response. "Those of us who didn't want to take the offer to settle on Naboo."

Wooley let out an exaggerated sigh. "Soon we're going to be overrun by you lot. Which is why we need the Negotiator."

"Or we could get the Resolute." Trapper suggested, voice purposefully provocative.

Wooley reacted predictably. "Blasphemy!"

The two immediately fell into a now common argument between the members of the 212th and the 501st.

Ahsoka watched them for a small moment, obviously confused. "I don't understand." She said, a little quietly. "The 212th, or at least those of the 212th who didn't want to settle somewhere else, are with you. The same for those of the 104th, they’re with Master Plo, and the 327th are with Aayla. Same with a lot of battalions." She made a face. "Why are the 501st with you?"

Obi-Wan paused, carefully choosing his words. "The 501st and the 212th worked together regularly." He said slowly. "The vod are all fairly close to each other, at least for being in different battalions." It was different for the clones in command, he knew. They'd had more interaction with each other than most non-command clones had outside their personal battalions, had better been able to build and maintain relationships off of Kamino. "It has very little to do with me."

Ahsoka didn't seem satisfied, but she just nodded. Obi-Wan knew that the 501st, especially those who had chosen to stay on Coruscant, loved both Anakin and Ahsoka, but he also knew that there were some of the 501st who had taken Anakin and Ahsoka's departure from the Jedi and the Temple as an equal rejection of the 501st, or at least as a sign that the two wouldn't be eager to see them. He knew Rex had braved that rejection, but many of the other men seemed wary.

"And the Logistics are more difficult." He added, because he knew how the 501st loved Ahsoka, how delighted they'd be to have her at dinner tonight. "One or two individually can go wherever they want, but when they stick together." He shrugged. "Well, the temple certainly has more space than the 500 Republica, for instance."

Ahsoka bit her lip, and Obi-Wan could see her watching Trapper out of the corner of her eye, his and Wooley's argument had devolved into a demand for a high stakes spar, with the loser acceding the argument and half their stash of alcohol.

Obi-Wan expected that, at the very least, it would be entertaining to watch.

Ahsoka followed them onto the ship, and Obi-Wan noted that maybe the men had a point about needing a bigger ship. The shuttle ship had seemed sufficient when they'd first picked him up while he'd been wandering, but the area set apart for meals was starting to get crowded.

Boil was yelling from the kitchen area, threatening dish duty to the next person who tried to taste his food before he was prepared to serve it.

Obi-Wan suspected that Boil would have far less of a problem with his brothers sneaking food if they weren't then dramatically choking and falling on tables and chairs in ridiculous dying poses. Jesse stumbled past them, hand around his throat as he mimicked asphyxiation before collapsing onto the floor.

Personally, Obi-Wan found his lips twitching up in an irrepressible smile, as he made his way through the room to his usual seat. Cody was already there, and he raised a questioning eyebrow at the sight of Ahsoka trailing behind him.

Obi-Wan gave a shallow shrug and a quirk of his lips. He wasn't actually sure why Ahsoka had tracked him down, and while he had high hopes, especially after hearing that she'd re-engaged contact with Master Plo, he was trying to keep his expectations and hopes low.

After everything, Ahsoka deserved the right to handle their relationship in whatever way she pleased, even if that meant Obi-Wan respected that all she wanted was to yell at him and then never see him again.

He hoped that wasn't the case. But he knew that their relationship would never be what it was, he had failed her and damaged her trust, and he could not expect nor demand that she forget or pretend otherwise.

"Hey Cody, Obi-Wan—“ Rex trailed off as he settled into his own normal seat. "Ahsoka?"

"Hey Rex." Ahsoka gave him an awkward wave. "How are you doing? You haven't been by to see the twins or Skyguy in a while."

Rex had an excellent poker face, but Obi-Wan thought he caught sight of the smallest twitch of exasperated frustration. "I've been giving General Skywalker space to cool down after my last visit."

Obi-Wan sent Cody a questioning look but his Commander just shook his head. Staying out of it, then. That might explain why Rex had stopped dropping hints about Anakin.

Ahsoka winced a little, so apparently _Ahsoka_ had some idea what that particular fight or conversation had been about, and then nodded. "That's fair. You're probably safe to come by again." She offered. "He's been getting pretty antsy, he loves the twins, but he'd probably like to see someone that's not them, me, or Padme." She glanced at Obi-Wan as she said it, but Obi-Wan kept his attention on where Boil was loading up brothers with plates and bowls.

He leaned towards Cody. “What exactly did Boil make?”

Cody snorted, keeping his voice low to match Obi-Wan's own. "He's claiming he made a non-poisonous version of the Mushroom stew from Ryloth."

"Oh?" Obi-Wan eyed the food he could see being served with a little alarm. That didn’t look anything like stew.

“It’s a little closer to a pudding in consistency.” Cody admitted. “But the Ruba meat and vegetable combo should be safe enough."

"Ah." Obi-Wan nodded. "I think I'll be grateful when Spice takes back control of the kitchen."

Cody laughed, light and easy. "You and me both." He paused. "Though Jesse and Kix's meal wasn't half bad, and I'm looking forward to your attempt tomorrow."

"Last I checked, you and Rex were betting against my kitchen capabilities." Obi-Wan gave him his most offended look.

"Oh, we are." Cody leaned back, lips tugging up and into a smile. "I'm looking forward to collecting the gossip that Jesse offered as his payment."

Obi-Wan sighed, shaking his head in mock hurt. "I see how it is. But at least _Jesse_ believes in me. When are you taking a turn in the kitchen again?"

"Not for another three weeks." Cody's eyes went bright. "But unlike you, Rex and I have some sort of idea of what to do in the kitchen."

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow, making sure that his voice was properly doubting--it was only fair given that Cody had bet against him. "Do you now? I won't believe it until I taste it myself. You do know that rations don't count as real food, yes?"

Cody rolled his eyes. "Of course we won't. What sort of cooks do you take us for?"

Obi-Wan gave an exaggerated wince, shrugging. "Well..."

Cody snorted, foot nudging against Obi-Wan's leg. "You're the worst."

Obi-Wan leaned back in his own seat as Wooley, who was helping to pass out food, set a plate and bowl in front of him and Ahsoka. He stared at the bowl, a little bemused, because there was no way this was stew. Cody had said it was closer to pudding in consistency, but he'd never quite seen a pudding with this sort of crusty layer on top before, and the brown-ish orange color was a little off-putting.

Ahsoka made an uncertain noise. "And here I thought you were inviting me to dinner, Master Obi-Wan."

"I did tell you that Boil was cooking." Obi-Wan reminded her, picking up a spoon to try a bite as Deadshot handed Cody and Rex plates. "You were warned."


	16. Lineages and Recipes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka and Obi-Wan talk and then Cody loses a bet. (He should have known better than to bet against his General.)

"I can't believe you ate all of that." Ahsoka said, laughter underlying her voice. They had left the ship and were sitting at the edge of the open hangar, legs dangling off the side of the ledge. “I think you almost made Boil cry with happiness when you actually asked for seconds.”

Obi-Wan made a face—feeling a mix of proud and delighted at how Ahsoka laughed harder at the sight—the stew had been absolutely terrible, yes, but it had been made with love, and Boil had looked so very eager, it was the most eager he’d seen Boil be since Waxer. Seeing Boil’s delighted smile had absolutely been worth every bite.

“I’ve had much worse. Master Yoda used to try and host dinners with each of his different lineages." Obi-Wan wondered if Yoda was going to try to start up those dinners again, now that the war was over. He wasn’t sure whether it would be a good thing or a bad thing if he did.

Yoda had many lineages. But when it came to Obi-Wan’s branch… well, he was the only one left. Dooku was dead, and all of his apprentices, including Qui-Gon were dead as well. Feemor had been repudiated by Qui-Gon—and kind and mild-mannered or not, had in his own way, repudiated Qui-Gon in turn—Xanatos had Fallen, Anakin had left the Order, Ahsoka had well… she’d been expelled and had then left.

It was just him and Yoda now.

Ahsoka looked at him, eyes curious. "How was that?" Obi-Wan shook himself from his far too grim thoughts, and turned to happier ones.

Obi-Wan snorted. "Well, it's hit or miss whether the Snake Stew or the dinner conversation was more painful. Yoda, Dooku, and Qui-Gon all in one room was quite the experience. They all have, ah, rather stubborn personalities.” That was something of an understatement. Those dinners had been _vicious._ Obi-Wan had never been sure whether he should be terrified or if he should be laughing. “I think those dinners did just as much to prepare me for negotiation as my actual missions as a Padawan. And then later, it was just Yoda, Anakin, and I."

Ahsoka grimaced. "Did Yoda and Anakin get along better when Anakin was young?"

"Worse." Obi-Wan told her, but he was still smiling. "Even when they were both trying—and back then, they did both try—they just couldn't seem to find the same language to communicate with each other. And I wasn't always the best translator."

That, unfortunately had never changed, Obi-Wan had always tried to help breach the gap that seemed to exist between Anakin and the rest of the Jedi.

He'd failed terribly.

He felt his smile fade.

He'd apparently never understood Anakin well enough himself.

They fell quiet, watching the evening traffic rush past a few levels below them.

"I was angry." Ahsoka said finally, and Obi-Wan could feel the Force shift, encouraging him softly. This conversation was a tipping point for the two of them. "For a long time."

Obi-Wan turned to look at her, she was frowning as she stared at the traffic below them. "That's more than understandable.” He reassured her quietly. “We were supposed to protect you, and we failed miserably."

"I thought you hadn't even tried." Ahsoka whispered.

Obi-Wan flinched, but accepted that he couldn't expect her to know what happened behind closed doors, and as for the support she'd needed, he _had_ failed to provide that. "I'm sorry." He told her, filling the words with all the genuine feeling behind it. "You deserved far better."

Ahsoka sighed quietly. "I did." She fidgeted, and Force, she was still so young. "Thank you, for helping me after I left." Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow questioningly, despite Ahsoka not looking at him. "I know the package was from you and Master Plo." She smiled a little weakly. "Some of the contacts you gave me liked to tell stories, and it wasn't hard to figure out."

Obi-Wan conceded the point, subtle some of his contacts were _not_. "We should have done more."

Ahsoka shrugged. "Probably." Her shoulders fell in a slump. "I'm still angry, sometimes."

"That's understandable."

"The Jedi is still my family though." She looked up, and met his eyes. "You're still my family."

Obi-Wan felt something in his heart clench, sharp and painful. "You're my family as well." He was the one to look away this time, the sky was growing dark, the world lighting up with the artificial glow of street lights and neon signs. "I'll do better by you."

He would. He wouldn’t fail her again.

Ahsoka's Force presence seemed to lighten, a bubble of mischievousness slipping through. "Does that mean I'm invited to the dinner you're making, tomorrow?"

Obi-Wan laughed. "Ahsoka, you are welcome whenever you want to be here." He winked at her. "Though, I suspect the 501st would be very upset with me if they thought I suggested anything else."

Her smile was bright and genuine.

Obi-Wan hesitated, not wanting to push. “If you’d like, you could… well, you could join me in making dinner.”

Ahsoka’s eyes widened, clearly surprised by the offer, though she didn’t seem upset by it. “Join you?”

Obi-Wan nodded. “If you’d like. Only if you’d like.”

Ahsoka leaned into him, and he could feel her Force presence, strong, yet still somehow soft, brush against his and he had to keep his own presence under control lest he accidentally overwhelm her with how much the soft touch—a sign, not of forgiveness, perhaps, but of progress—meant to him. “I’d like that. A lot.” She paused, and then added with a cheeky grin. “Although, if you’re trying to make it so that the men don’t know you can’t cook…”

Obi-Wan scoffed. “I can cook just fine, thank you.”

Ahsoka gave him a disbelieving look.

“No, really.” Obi-Wan protested, though he understood why people always seemed to find this fact surprising; when he’d started he’d absolutely been the type to burn water, and had done so, often. “Qui-Gon couldn’t cook to save his life. And Anakin… well, Anakin can eat _anything_.” He shuddered and Ahsoka copied the movement, he wondered if, like him, she was thinking about the time with the bugs. “So he wasn’t always super careful with his own cooking. If I wanted to eat anything that didn’t come from the commissary it was up to me to learn to make it.”

Ahsoka considered that. “I should have taken Rex’s wager.” She decided finally, then nudged him. “What are we making?”

Obi-Wan considered the different options. “Our lineage’s secret recipe would be fitting, Anakin’s taught you that, yes?”

Something flickered behind Ahsoka’s eyes, pain, there and gone. “He would have, I’m sure. But I think the war sort of destroyed the opportunity for that.”

Obi-Wan felt his brow furrow, because the war had, without a doubt, changed their lives. But they’d still been on Coruscant—perhaps not as often as anyone would have liked, but certainly still often enough—surely Anakin had been able to spare a single night from Padme to teach his padawan their recipe? It was… it was just something a Master _did_.

“Ah, well, perhaps we can choose a different recipe for the night then.” He said hesitantly. “And, if you want to learn, you can ask Anakin to teach you.”

Ahsoka scowled down at the speeders racing below them. “You don’t want to teach me?”

“That wasn’t what I meant.” Obi-Wan said instantly, not wanting her to think it was a lack of care on his part. He kept his voice soft as he continued. “But it’s a special experience, to be shared between Master and Padawan, and while both you and Anakin have left the Order it doesn’t change that you were Master and Padawan, I wouldn’t want to steal that opportunity from either of you.”

Ahsoka nodded, and her shoulders slumped a little. “He wasn’t the only one who taught me, you know?” Obi-Wan could see her watching him from the corner of her eye. “He always told me that if he didn’t know something I should ask you. And I know…” She paused. “I heard you, sometimes, when you and Anakin would talk. You’d call me the both of yours.”

“Ahsoka.” Obi-Wan stopped, not quite sure what he wanted to say.

“He would have never thought to teach me this.” Ahsoka said quietly. “It’s just…” she stopped, clearly trying to find the right words. “He doesn’t see the Jedi the way you do. Not even the way I do.”

Obi-Wan knew that was true. Anakin had never been quiet about that. “In many ways no, but this is…” He wanted to say that this was lineage, that it was family. That it was a gift that Dooku had given Qui-Gon, and Qui-Gon had given Obi-Wan, and Obi-Wan had given Anakin. And no matter how their lineage might have fallen apart since then… it was a small symbol of the part of each of them that had been _good_, and _loving_.

It was a gift that Obi-Wan would have thought that Anakin would have _wanted_ to give Ahsoka.

There were so many things that Obi-Wan had done wrong as a Master… but he had thought… well, he’d thought that in _this_ at least, he’d done something right.

Every month from the first month he’d taken Anakin as his padawan until Anakin had been knighted—with the exception of those months they’d been running for their lives—he’d brought Anakin to the kitchen, taught him the steps of the recipe. He’d forced himself to talk about Qui-Gon during those times, forced himself to talk about their lineage, about their family.

He’d thought that Anakin had appreciated those moments… that Anakin had realized what they had meant.

But…

“Will you teach me our lineage’s secret recipe?” Ahsoka asked.

Anakin would be upset if Obi-Wan did. It was something for Masters and Padawans. Obi-Wan didn’t want to steal that from Anakin.

Anakin had been a _good_ Master for Ahsoka, that was something that Obi-Wan would never doubt. The two of them had worked well together, and Anakin had cared deeply for Ahsoka, just as Ahsoka had cared deeply for him.

But Anakin… well this was something that he hadn’t taught Ahsoka. And war or no war, there _had_ been opportunity. Anakin just hadn’t wanted to take it.

Perhaps to Anakin it just… hadn’t mattered.

Perhaps Anakin had simply forgotten.

There were so many reasons why Anakin might have chosen not to share this with Ahsoka. But now Ahsoka was asking Obi-Wan to teach her… and Obi-Wan didn’t want this piece of their lineage to die with him.

“If that’s what you want, Ahsoka. Of course I’ll teach you.”

-_-

Cody frowned, staring at the plate of food. "I don't believe it."

Obi-Wan took a dainty bite of his food, keeping his face perfectly blank. "Oh? What don't you believe?"

"You can cook!" Cody sounded a little betrayed.

Rex snorted, he'd already expressed dismay at having lost the wager, and was now cheerfully eating the stacked cakes and syrup Obi-Wan and Ahsoka had made.

His stacked cakes were quite good, and something he was quite proud of. But those, as fluffy and delicious as they were, had nothing on the mixed-berry syrup. It was a practically Force-blessed, nearly addictive mix of sweet and tart, that was as smooth as sin on the tongue.

Obi-Wan had once seen Plo drink it with a straw, demanding the recipe between sips.

Obi-Wan had refused, just as Qui-Gon had before him.

Ahsoka was already on her second plate of stacked cakes, her plate practically drowning in syrup. “I helped.” She pointed out, before taking another bite. There was still flour on her montrals from where the two of them had made a _bit_ of a mess. “I can’t believe Skyguy never showed me how to _make_ this. This is…” she made a noise in the back of her throat, clearly meant to show her appreciation for the food.

“Ahsoka did help.” Obi-Wan acknowledged. “But the truth remains. I am a man of many talents, Commander.“ Obi-Wan took a sip of his tea. "And you fully deserve clean up duty for having placed your wager against me."

Cody narrowed his eyes at him, but took another bite of his food, eyes closing for a moment in something approximating bliss. Obi-Wan felt almost ridiculously pleased of the fact that it had been Obi-Wan to put that look of pleasure on his Commander’s face. But Cody wasn’t the sort to be easily distracted, and he apparently still had a point to make. "You never eat, General, forgive me for making the natural assumption that you couldn't cook either."

Obi-Wan just sniffed haughtily, his facade of offense marred by the way Ahsoka was laughing at them. Her happiness was like a ball of warmth in Obi-Wan's chest.

"You of all people, Commander, know better than to assume."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...once upon a time, like... half a life time ago. There was this syrup, I don't know where my mom found it, or what berries, exactly, it was made of... but it was literally the best syrup of my life, and I'm constantly saddened by the fact that I have no clue where to find that syrup again.
> 
> So yes, Obi-Wan's secret lineage recipe is the best berry syrup you can ever imagine, in memory of that delicious syrup from my past.
> 
> Also, I really, genuinely, had somehow not realized that I somehow hadn't updated this since December??? Like??? Where did January through March go???
> 
> Anyways, may quarantine not sap your spirits. 
> 
> May the Force be with you!


	17. Plants and Plans

“Oh no.” Obi-Wan reached out a hand to stop Jesse. “You want to find an offshoot for that.”

Jesse stopped, shears frozen at the stem of the plant, and the look he sent Obi-Wan was one that looked desperately like it was trying _not_ to be irritated. “I thought you said I should get a cutting?”

Obi-Wan laughed lightly. “Yes, for the Carmentine. The Vera root is a different matter all together.”

The sigh Jesse let out at that was close to despairing. “I hate plants. What about the Mera wood vine?”

Obi-Wan shifted to look at the cuttings Jesse had gathered, some of them were cut a little too short, but most would grow. “Those look fine.”

Jesse grumbled under his breath for a moment. “And you’re _sure_ these all have medicinal properties?”

Obi-Wan nodded, turning back to where he was gathering his own plants. “Yes.”

Jesse was silent for a moment as he searched for a Vera off shoot. “Kix will like this, won’t he?” Jesse didn’t seem to really be asking him, he seemed more like he was talking to himself. “Of course he will. I mean, he’s always reading those texts about different medicinal practices out loud. And he loved the ones about medicinal herbs.”

Obi-Wan hummed in agreement. That would be something that Kix would do.

“He’ll like it, right?” This time Jesse did seem to be genuinely asking.

Obi-Wan stopped where he was carefully collecting minx flower cuttings to look up at the soldier. He infused every inch of confidence he possessed into his voice. “Jesse. Kix is going to love it.”

Jesse met his eyes and then seemed to relax. “Of course. Obviously. I mean, _I’m_ getting them for him. How could he not love it.”

Obi-Wan laughed. “And there’s that.”

Jesse reassured, Obi-Wan returned to his own cuttings.

Many of the plants within the Room of a Thousand Fountains needed careful ecological control, there were a few areas of the garden where the plants could thrive just about anywhere, so long as they were given a little care and effort. It had always been well understood that Jedi were welcome to try their hand at nurturing plants in their own rooms.

He hadn’t tried to keep plants in his personal rooms since the very beginning of Anakin’s time as his padawan, when he and Anakin had managed to accidentally kill over half of Qui-Gon’s plants.

It had been decided, for the good of the remaining plants, that neither Obi-Wan nor Anakin should be trusted with their well being. Obi-Wan had carefully transplanted the rest of the plants into the gardens, and that had been that.

These plants, however, were not for him.

He’d overheard Splatter and Branch discussing their research into setting aside one of the rooms in the Neogtiator into a green room. Not that they had the Negotiator yet, but Obi-Wan knew Cody was meeting with the Senate’s War Recovery Committee today. And when it came to Cody versus a group of politicians… well, Obi-Wan would bet on Cody.

They’d have the Negotiator back sooner rather than later, Obi-Wan had no doubts about that.

So he wanted to get some cuttings to help Branch and Splatter start on their nature room immediately.

He stood, bending to shake off the dirt that was sticking to the knees of his pants. “You ready, Jesse?”

Jesse had quit after the Vera plant and was laying in the dirt. Obi-Wan wondered if he should mention that there was grass a few feet away he could have chosen to lay on, but Jesse seemed content. Jesse yawned a little, looking incredibly comfortable, but nodded, jumping to his feet. Obi-Wan helped him knock off some of the dirt from his back.

Jesse stared down at the number of cuttings they had, each in their own small pot. Obi-Wan might have gone a _little_ overboard with the number of cuttings he’d gathered. “How are we going to get all of these back?”

Obi-Wan shrugged, reaching out with the force to lift the different plants. A few of them drifted to Jesse for him to grab while Obi-Wan grabbed as many as he could for himself, the others stayed floating in front of them. “A little frivolous use of the Force. Don’t tell Master Yoda.” Not that Yoda could talk, Obi-Wan may have been drunk at the time, but he hadn’t forgotten Yoda snatching Shrike Kabobs from half-way across the Council Chambers.

Jesse snorted. “He certainly won’t hear it from me.”

The two of them headed down the trail to the exit, and Obi-Wan listened as Jesse talked about finding a small shop in CoCo town that was for sell and how several vod’e were thinking of combining their new back-pay to purchase it.

Though to hear Jesse speak of it, none of them seemed decided on _what_ exactly they’d be selling.

Halfway down the path they ran into Mace and his Commander, walking slowly with each other and talking quietly. Both had soft smiles on their face, and in the Force Mace was radiating contentment.

Obi-Wan could help but smile at the feel of his friend so blissfully content. Mace so very definitely deserved it.

Mace looked up at them and then to the pots trailing behind them. “I feel like I should be making a comment about the sort of example you’re _planting_ in the minds of any padaways you cross paths with, but I think it may be far too late for that. Your bad habits have already _grown_ on too many of them.”

Obi-Wan shrugged good-naturedly, restraining himself from rolling his eyes. Beside Mace, Ponds let out an affectionate-sounding sigh. He was likely far too familiar with Mace’s mannerisms, the poor Commander. “A little frivolous use of the Force is far from the worst example that’s been set for them.” He gave Mace a small smirk. “You, yourself have set worse. I do seem to remember you teaching two initiates and a padawan how to—”

Mace straightened immediately. “It’s not necessary to re-hash the past, Obi-Wan.”

Commander Ponds eyes brightened. “General Kenobi, General Windu was just saying how lovely it would be if you joined us for tea—” the look on Mace’s face said that he had said absolutely nothing of the kind, which of course made Obi-Wan want to accept all the more. “—Maybe bring Commander Cody and Captain Rex along as well.”

Obi-Wan sent Mace his cheekiest smile as he answered Commander Ponds. “Make sure Mace shares his Pruiant tea, it has a strange tendency to sharpen my memory and loosen my tongue.”

Mace sent him a warning look, though in the Force he was radiating fondness. “Be careful, Obi-Wan, I’ve known you since you first started toddling your way into messes.”

Obi-Wan considered the relatively mild threat. Obi-Wan had somehow only ever seemed to get caught up in either the hilarious or the traumatic. Thankfully, most of his hilarious mis-adventures could be blamed on Quinlan, Garen, Qui-Gon, or Anakin and Mace wouldn’t ever dredge up Obi-Wan’s more traumatic mis-adventures. “Heard and understood.” He sent Ponds a wink. “Remember, his Pruiant tea, he hides it in the back of a closet to try and keep it from Depa.”

Mace sighed, the length of it a little on the dramatic side. “Perhaps I should help escort you out of the gardens so you’ll stop trying to corrupt my Commander and steal my tea.” He felt a gentle tug of the Force against the plants he was pulling along behind him and Jesse and he let Mace pull the remaining plants for Mace and Ponds to grab. “Where are you taking these?”

“Back to the ship for now.”

Mace examined the different plants, wrinkling his nose as he took in too deep a whiff of the Arcanian flower. It was a dazzling sunset of colors, but it’s scent was a little overly-sweet. Obi-Wan had looked at it and remembered a post-battle dawn that he’d shared with Cody on some planet Obi-Wan couldn’t for the life of him recall the name of.

But he could recall Cody’s awe at the sunset’s beauty.

Obi-Wan hoped, perhaps a little foolishly, that should Cody visit the nature rooms, that he’d like the plant.

“Where are you going to put all of these? Surely your room doesn’t have space for all of these.” Mace sent Obi-Wan a curious look. “And last I checked, your thumb was far from green.”

“Some of them are for Kix,” Jesse volunteered, Ponds made a suggestive sound at that, eyebrow quirking in glee.

Obi-Wan spoke up before Jesse could rise to the retort. “The rest are for the vod’e, they want to start a green room in the Negotiator.”

Mace hummed, drawing alongside him, nudging him gently to the side so that Ponds could match pace beside Jesse. “I heard about those plans, they’ll be disappointed if their plans for the Negotiator don’t come through.”

Thankfully that was enough to draw Ponds from teasing Jesse for now. “Not a serious concern, General. Even the worst estimates have the 212th and the 501st moving into the Negotiator by the end of the month. I’ve got a solid bet that they’ll have it by the end of the week.”

Mace considered that for a moment. “I know the Council gave their approval." His lip tightened in what Obi-Wan knew was an aborted smile. “The presentation the men gave was quite… impressive.” Obi-Wan couldn’t help but agree, Cody and Boil had been _quite_ through. “But they still need to get it signed off with some sub-committee within the Senate.” He hummed thoughtfully. “The Senate _is_ painfully slow. Is this an open bet?”

Ponds grinned. “It is, Wolffe’s in charge. I can pass along your vote?”

Mace nodded. “End of next week.”

Commander Ponds voice was carefully neutral, but Obi-Wan could hear the restrained laughter. “Commander Cody says that he has a plan for all contingencies, and knowing him there are at least four backup plans if the first plan doesn’t work out.”

“Six, actually.” Jesse was grinning. “I almost hope we get to that sixth back-up plan.”

Mace winced a little. “I take it back-up plan six has explosions.”

Obi-Wan laughed at that, the 501st’s reputation _did_ precede them. After all, that certainly wasn’t the 212th’s reputation. “Don’t worry, Mace. It’s a very _small_ explosion.” He gave Mace his best totally-innocent-here smile. “Hardly worth mention as an explosion at all.”

Jesse made a slightly disagreeing note in the back of his throat.

“The fifth back-up plan is my favorite, actually,” Obi-Wan said, trying to distract Mace from the matter at hand, because Mace was looking just _slightly_ disapproving. Not enough to require a halt, but enough to tread carefully.

Mace let out a slightly exasperated sigh. He proved, however, was a very wise man and did not ask Obi-Wan to clarify.

Sometimes plausible deniability really was a beautiful thing. And Obi-Wan was well aware that Mace knew that better than most.

He gave mace his most winning smile. “Don’t worry, Mace. I’ll make sure the men keep both Coruscant and the Senate building in one piece.”

Probably, anyways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a nice, soft chapter for you all, because next chapter we get the confrontation with Anakin... or more accurately, the first of the confrontations with Anakin, because that's definitely not going to be worked out easily.
> 
> (I am sorry to inform you all that Rex will *not* be punching Anakin next chapter, though I do know that a lot of you have asked for that... (and each and every one of those comments made me laugh, so thanks for that) maybe later though, if Anakin refuses to see sense.)
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the chapter though!


End file.
